Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
It wasn’t that long ago that Australia was being praised around the world. Remember when we had an intelligent, articulate, diplomatic leader with a vision for the future?
We survived the GFC with Wayne Swan being awarded the world’s best Treasurer by the magazine Euromoney “for his careful stewardship of Australia’s finances and economic performance, both during and since the global financial crisis”.
Julia Gillard led the way in action on climate change by introducing a price on carbon prompting praise from around the world.
“Australia will create tens of thousands of clean jobs in the coming years. You will save billions by eliminating wasteful energy usage, money that can be directed to other pressing social and infrastructure demands.
Australia will be helping lead the world out of this crisis, sending a powerful message that, yes, it can be done. Despite all the barriers, despite all the bitter, misleading opposition, Australia is leading the world toward a brighter, more sustainable future.”
In April last year, Julia Gillard also displayed her diplomatic skills in China.
“TEN foreign leaders visited China this week but only Julia Gillard scored what could turn out to be the deal of the decade. The Prime Minister’s coup in striking a “strategic partnership” and securing annual talks with China’s leaders will be her foreign policy legacy. It guarantees Australia access to the growing superpower at the highest levels and is being hailed by some as one of the most significant breakthroughs since Gough Whitlam’s courageous step 40 years ago to establish diplomatic links with China.
The China deal locks in formal annual talks between Australia’s PM and the Chinese Premier, as well as meetings for Australia’s foreign affairs minister, treasurer and trade minister with their counterparts.”
I could go on listing the previous government’s achievements – introducing our first paid parental leave scheme, environmental protections with water trigger and Murray-Darling buyback and marine parks, the NDIS, the NBN, education funding – the list is long and visionary.
But for some unfathomable reason, the majority of Australians were convinced that Abbott could do a better job. We could blame the media (and I do) but in reality, it is us who are to blame for our unquestioning acceptance of the lies we were being told. It is our own fault that we have moved from a position of world admiration for a responsible egalitarian society to one where we are being lampooned internationally and well and truly screwed domestically.
The Coalition began by stating we didn’t need Indonesia’s permission for our asylum seeker policy, a statement which infuriated them. We then had the odious Mark Textor suggesting that Indonesia’s foreign minister looked like a 70’s porn star, and the revelation that we spied on the President’s wife – something for which Abbott was incapable of saying sorry. We also violated their sovereign waters because apparently our Navy can’t tell where they are. We have been vilified for setting people adrift in life rafts, and censured for presumptuous plans to collect intelligence in Indonesian villages and to buy their fishing fleet.
We insulted the Prime Minister of PNG by suggesting he had lied, and then confiscated documents from the lawyer representing Timor l’Este in the International Court where we stand accused of bugging their Parliament to gain trade advantages for private firms. Abbott also had to “offer an act of contrition” to Malaysia for his previous comments about their human rights record.
Abbott offended war veterans and their families by praising the “honour” of the Japanese who attacked us, while Julie Bishop infuriated China by calling in their ambassador to berate him for the dispute over islands in the East China Sea prompting this response in the Chinese version of the Global Times:
“China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs doesn’t even have the tools to deal with this kind of ‘complete fool’ of a foreign minister.”
When Tony Abbott rushed to condemn the Russians in the hours after the downing of the plane in the Ukraine, he incurred the wrath of both China and Russia.
The official Xinhua news agency said in an English-language commentary that officials from the United States, Australia and other Western countries had jumped to conclusions in pointing their fingers at the rebels in eastern Ukraine and for blaming Russia for the escalating violence.
“The accusation was apparently rash when the officials acknowledged they did not know for the time being who is responsible for the attack, while condemning Russia’s military intervention,” Xinhua said.
“Without bothering himself about evidence and operating only on speculation, Mr T. Abbott assigned guilt,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. “Abbott’s statements are unacceptable” going on to say “Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has gone farther than others in making irresponsible innuendoes against our country even though one would think that her position presupposes building bridges between countries, not destroying them.”
In another inexplicable brain fart that even the US was quick to distance itself from, our Attorney General decided to inflame tensions by deciding that East Jerusalem would no longer be referred to as Occupied Territory. In the process, Australia was hailed by Israel’s government, scolded by a group of 57 Muslim-majority countries, and had multibillion-dollar export trades put under threat.
Along with defending the rights of bigots and then linking the backtrack in the repeal of the Racial Discrimination laws to ramped up anti-terrorist laws, Brandis and Abbott have alienated the Australian Muslim community.
And one can only wonder as to why Abbott has chosen to instruct the Scottish people on how they should vote in their upcoming referendum on independence. Their response:
“Mr Abbott’s comments are hypocritical because independence does not seem to have done Australia any harm. They are foolish, actually, because of the way he said it. To say the people of Scotland who supported independence weren’t friends of freedom or justice, I mean, the independence process is about freedom and justice.”
The first minister said Scotland’s referendum on independence was a “model of democratic conduct” and Mr Abbott’s comments were “offensive to the Scottish people”.
Whilst alienating Russia, China, Indonesia, Palestine, Scotland, Malaysia, East Timor, PNG, the Muslim community, and veterans, we have also earned ourselves the title of Colossal Fossil for our refusal to take part in global action on climate change.
Domestically the picture is even more ridiculous. We reinstate knights and dames, we defend the rights of bigots, poor people don’t drive cars, breast cancer is linked to abortion, we are “unprepared for global cooling”, and can someone please explain to Brandis and Abbott what metadata is?
The Australia Institute, in a scathing review of the Commission of Audit, asked the following questions:
As one of the richest countries in the world Australian people have the potential, when working together, to do anything they want. But, we cannot do everything we want. Australia will need to make choices and it is our choice whether we want to:
- have the world’s best education and health systems or the world’s lowest taxes
- continue to outspend our neighbours on defence or underspend on tackling climate change
- increase the incomes of the elderly and the sick or to cut the taxes of our wealthiest residents.
Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they’re here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday
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Return to home pageIt is not recommended to focus too much on either the past or the future – “being in the moment” or “mindful” are among the Buddhist concepts I use to cope with Anxiety/depression. However, I am making an exception for the Abbott government and looking forward to the end of the Age of Stupid in 2016.
This is the dawning of the age of a hairy arse. Science and compassion are on hold for a couple of years.
Sorry about this, but… something perhaps entirely within keeping with this site’s vibe… Hope so 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlzrNKN3rZI
Kaye – that is a brilliant article.
We need to be be kept reminded of the alienations, and wrongful propaganda, statements etc. that this rabid Government have inflicted on us, on other countries, on other leaders … et al.
This article needs to be read by as many people as possible. I very much hope that can be achieved.
Why can’t we blame both??? The lies were quite transparent, but the media (for whatever reason) did little or nothing to inform the electorate of Abbott’s dishonesty.
Agreed totally with what you were saying, until I got to this part:
“…but in reality, it is us who are to blame for our unquestioning acceptance of the lies we were being told. It is our own fault that we have moved from a position of world admiration for a responsible egalitarian society to one where we are being lampooned internationally and well and truly screwed domestically.”
Then I just wanted to tear my own hair out, what’s left of it anyway. It is not ‘us’ or ‘we’. It is a most decidedly selfish and populist ‘them’ who are to blame for our current predicament. Not having voted for these fools I, personally, accept no responsibility whatsoever!
A goodly number of ‘us’ did see through the lies! It is patronising and lazy for commentators to apportion blame to the general ‘us’ when clearly control of the outcome was not ‘ours’.
I didn’t vote for them either and I am sorry if that comment came across as patronising or lazy – it was a reflection of an election result that I still have trouble coming to terms with. When I say “we” I am trying to acknowledge a majority result. More of my fellow Australians wanted Abbott – that is something I will never understand. I tried my best pre-election to inform people – I failed.
I’m just plain scared at how much more damage these idiots will be able to to do to Australia, both at home & to our world repuation before the Australian People can oust this bunch of facist dictators at the next [not soon enough] election…
Thanks Kaye.
People skills are not the forte of the abbott gang reflected in their poor diplomatic skills.
It translates in their disregard for Australian citizens as reflected in the cruel budget.
It is also reflected in the horrendous treatment of asylum seekers.
Profit of their donors is more important than impacts on people generally, through their disregard for climate change.
The environment is something to be abused.
I take absolutely no blame for the government getting into power. I warned and warned and warned everybody I could of the consequences having Abbott as a leader so anyone who tries to tell me I’m a sucker for Murdoch lies can go suck their own spit!
I was like George – definitely not my vote that did it. We didn’t have media, we endured a propaganda assault by Murdoch & others. Still I thought, Gonski, NDIS, NBN/FTTH, Wind/Solar/ green energy. Surely the voters couldn’t be so stupid as to vote against a Labor Party that had all these policies and saved Australia from the GFC that devastated most other countries…could they? Abbott screaming insults of the most vile kind, even when Julia lost her father. For years, rorting his expenses on “charity” rides…charity? Just a joke. And yet he won. I blame all the self-interested people that enjoy negative gearing, paying no tax (not even paying medicare levy) because it can be written off quite legally. That’s what needs to be changed – those things. Not kicking the less well off, while they’re having difficulties and denying them medical help whenever they need it. If Australians allow this to continue then I despair…
Cormann. believes that they can get their miserable budget passed. Who will now have to wear their budget emergency lie?
Abbott doesn’t have the insight to use reviewers who might be considered reasonably neutral. His reviewers have caused problems by displaying their ignorance and extreme ideological views. Its just another insight into his lack of management skills.
PUP will find a a heavy voter backlash if they allow the nasty budget to go through I believe.
I’ve spoken with some people who voted Liberal and their response has been deep disappointment. Something else that struck me was their lack of knowledge of politics.
Maybe, just maybe…Abbott is what we needed to regain some solidarity, to remember again what sort of society we want. I have asked time and again of people, what difference does it make to your life whether we have a deficit or a surplus? In my mind, pursuit of a surplus means services and standard of living go down.
It’s worth noting that BHP have a debt of over $30 billion (March last year) and Gina Rinehart just borrowed $7 billion for her latest rape of the land venture. Why do these very profitable companies and wealthy individuals choose to carry debt? Because debt, invested in the right way, is a money spinner. Our government should be investing in education, research, the NBN, childcare, affordable housing, and many other known productivity enhancers.
Howard reduced public debt while private debt skyrocketed. People either made a motza buying up in the fire sale of public assets or went bankrupt through greed – no matter, their creditors were the only ones to suffer.
The privatisation of our electricity allowed these private companies to over-invest in poles and wires with a government guaranteed return on investment. Privatisation inevitably means that unprofitable services will be cut and profits to shareholders will be maximised. Private companies can go broke…our government can’t – we have a sovereign currency where we can issue bonds whenever we need to.
Can we please get some common sense into the debt argument so people can remember that an economy provides the society we want rather than society doing it tough to get the economy we want.
Good comment on our present situation, the Abbott, blunder on the Scottish political scene and the blaming of Russia, on the plane destruction, the financing of military, I have not heard the cost of the total jet and submarine cost to taxpayers, their are 150 Australians, alleged fighters, connected with Islam, outlawed groups, fighting abroad. and he having made a decision, they will not be eligible for the dole, this saving would be significant as a contribution to military expenditure, Abbotts, political vision? only Abbott can lead us to the new World order?
After all the comments about the current government, and I use term loosely, all I can say is hear hear Kaye lee, and like a f.rt blowing in the wind it to shall pass.
Kaye’s observation that ‘WE’ allowed this is totally valid.
WE as a nation let these morons come to power.
WE as consumers failed to evaluate the product the MSM was selling us
WE as voters made very bad decisions
I don’t see how we can separate ourselves from the rest of the country just because as individuals we did not vote for the LNP.
We who didn’t want Abbott were way too quiet before the election and those who voted for him were deceived
Abbott started as a single cancerous cell but which is now replicating itself throughout the conservative body politic. The possibility of a cure comes in part from physical rejection by the body social which began with the March in March, then again in May and will continue on 31 August – this is the chemo-treatment At the same time our rapidly expanding and influential independent media is playing a critical role in this treatment plan. The LNP is a cancer on our nation and it must not be allowed to kill its host although that is its goal.
There is something that a lot of people have overlooked – including Kaye ( I think ) … although I still think her article is excellent and spot on.
That ‘something’ is the Rudd factor.
I speak for myself in the first instance, but have noted from many conversations since, a definite similarity to my own thoughts at the time of the last election. That was ” I do NOT want Rudd “. Which left us with Abbott – and did we want him ? Probably not, but many people chose to go with what they thought might be the lesser of two evils, and that seemed to be Abbott at the time.
Not to mention the preferences given by smaller parties which none of us ( or perhaps only a very small percentage ) bothered to follow up on. Who was giving what to whom. ?? I didn’t check on it – much to my shame.
I can never, and will never believe that Rudd didn’t help Abbott into power – albeit unconsciously. The way he undermined Julia Gillard, in his bid for power – was unconscionable.
The very fact that soooo many of Gillard’s ministry left – after she had lost the ballot in her Government, speaks VOLUMES. They not only left Rudd – they left the entire ministry ???? 5 ( FIVE ) ++ left the ALP then. The most influential and respected member of the ALP – Wayne Swan, departed. Think about it. It says a lot.
So – thank you Mr. Rudd, for aiding and abetting the worst Government in our country’s history, to be running the show now.
I absolutely HAVE to believe that Bill Shorten is playing a very cunning political game … ” let the bastards hang themselves ” … and then he will come out with his policies. He is NOT required to do so at this point in time …. and why should he – just to give the Government more fuel to detonate ?
I think we should try and back Bill Shorten as much as we can. He might sound a bit wishy-washy at times, but I doubt that he is I don’t think the ALP chose him because he was a klutz ? Do you …… honestly ?
Anne Byam:
Lesser of two evils, eh? Is that all we can hope for?
@charybds,
I note you qualify each of your ‘we’s’… “as a nation”, “as consumers”, “as voters”, (something which Kaye did not) and yet you are still wrong. ‘I’ am a citizen, ‘I’ am a consumer of media and ‘I’ am a voter, and yet I am not responsible for the current government.
If you want to say “the majority of citizens, consumers or voters” elected these twits that’s “totally valid”. But neither you, nor Kaye, speaks on ‘my’ behalf.
Yes, the lesser of two evils is absolutely the best we can hope for, but it doesn’t stop us from doing everything we can to make the lesser of those two evils, less evil.
George,
I understand your consternation and I share it. I do not presume to speak on behalf of others…the use of “we” was unfortunate. I think I got trained into it by the “we won you lost ner ner suck it up” abuse I received after the election. (I note that refrain has slowed down.)
I would like to say to all those I offended by using the term “we” I am truly sorry. I had no evil intent. I have worked all my life to fight for Coalition voters (along with other human beings).
Dan,
Some slogans hit home. Keep the bastards honest!
@ Kaye Lee,
‘No evil intent’ LOL.
It is a bug bear of mine… ever since Wendy Harmer pontificated that ‘we’ were ‘all’ to blame for that juvenile drop kick Kyle Sandilands. I told her then I wasn’t prepared to shoulder responsibility for something I have no control over.
Anyway, no harm done, I’m not that thin skinned; merely presenting an alternative point of view.
Keep up the good work. I enjoy reading your posts (though this is the first time I’ve commented).
Please continue to comment George…the more the merrier. The point you made was valid.
Kaye Lee,
There’s nothing wrong with slogans; Leftists only dislike them when the other side use them and they work. Leftists are extraordinary in their hypocrisy on that front. It’s really quite tiresome. They’re just pissed that they haven’t come up with a good one for years.
I remember “It’s time” doing well. In fact, I own the original 45 of the song. I am pinning my capitalist future on someone paying for the contents of my garage…actually I would probably pay them to clean it out.
I suppose slogans can focus interest but personally I need a bit more detail.
Don’t get the Abbott habit.
It works and we can and ought pursue it in the contemporary political context. Abbott is a ripe contender for a slogan driven backlash. A uniting, socially adhesive word f*ck.
I admit to a personal failing here which is probably obvious to you by now. I need to present a case and argue it’s validity quoting reliable sources. I need to convince people. I don’t do twitter because I cannot imagine trying to communicate with a letter count – I always have to cull essays I write due to exceeding the word count. I have also grown to loathe the insidious influence of advertising so am hesitant to go down the mental mind f*ck route.
Having said that, I find my mind turning to slogans and every one I have thought of so far is more abusive than inspiring – hardly a clarion call. I may need some sort of Zen expulsion of poison before I can be constructive on that front.
How about Time’s Up
Late night thinking on the “we” issue. How much culpability does a society bear?
Should the German people have done more to stop the rise of Hitler?
Should Kevin Rudd have said sorry for the stolen generation?
Should we allow our government to keep innocent children in indefinite detention?
Is it acceptable for our country to do nothing about climate change?
Is it acceptable for a wealthy country to slash foreign aid?
Kaye Lee,
I’m not thinking of slogans in a pluralistic sense or in the sense of a substitute for actual policy advertising. I’m thinking specifically, as you say, in the “clarion call” feel. In the “It’s Time” sense except for something more cultural than political. I think that we need something of that nature to turn around a bunch of bad social dynamics that have taken hold. I know you know what I’m talking about.
Something unifying but not stupidly patriotic. Something cultural rather than political. Something substantive rather than pretty and facile. Hmmm…..
Ah. No. Personally I dislike slogans because they are monotonous fluff… they give no information about the policies or intent of those who use them. Used on their own, they are only useful in dumbing down debate and concealing the details.
It has to be about caring for each other and the world…my creative side is too tired right now.
I think you should watch pirated copies of Big Bang Theory in bed and get some proper sleep.
mars08,
Yeah, used on their own. But how politically engaged do you expect the average person to be? As engaged as we are? If so, that is a quite absurd expectation.
@ Mars08 …. “lesser of two evils, eh ? – is that all we can hope for ?” …..
No – and you know it.
I think you are just having a go here. I presume you have heard the phrase before ??? Then again, perhaps you haven’t. I am not going to explain it to you. Look it up – there a dozen or more references to the phrase.
Am not in the mood to argue !!
@ Dan – thanks for your comment and obvious understanding of the phrase.
I just went to lay my little heady down and it struck me…
My slogan is going to be “I care….”
Individuals can add what they care about…groups can say “We care….”
We can make a song about what we care about.
Now I am REALLY going to bed.
I CARE
In a perverse kind of way Abbott and Co. have done us all a huge favour. I hate to think of what would have happened if the current lot were not so transparently stupid.
So many of us have become involved on social media and elsewhere as a result of their blatant ineptitude and absence of smiling and likable social assassians. Even Hockey cuts little ice anymore.
So, you ALP people. Are you simply going to cruise into a default victory when the shit hits the fan? Are you going to learn anything from all this? Or are you going to be simply another unimaginative, unthinking, gutless and all beit less-obnoxious version of the Abbott paradigm?
Convince me. Till then you’ll never get my #1 vote. You’ll probably get #2 and the LNP will be at the other end of the list as it’s been for ages now when I trot myself to the local school to vote
WE CARE
Not bad. Safe and not scary about doing progressive stuff. Kaye Lee’s on to something … other than drugs, obviously ….
Private companies can go broke…our government can’t – we have a sovereign currency where we can issue bonds whenever we need to.
And because we have a sovereign currency we don’t even “need to” issue bonds.
The practice may be just a relic of the days of the gold standard, but the dividends help pay private school fees.
Thanks Kaye. It’s good to keep tally of the stuff-ups and the monumental incompetence of the Abbott government. It’s looking like you’ll be needing weekly updates.
Rob031:
Haven’t you heard? It’s apparently the lesser of two evils. Isn’t that enough?
Indeed.
We, as a nation, are responsible for our leaders. There has been more than enough divisive action to shatter and demoralise the Australian public. Instead of blaming, encourage our brothers and sisters to stand with us for a democratic and equitable government.
We need resolve, but most of all patience – no-one wins minds and hearts by attack – hasn’t anyone learned from the centuries long battles in other parts of the world? Where an ideology matters more than the lives of women, men and children? Why repeat the madness?
What a terrible disservice was done to Labor government by the AWU/SDA right wing alliance in knifing two sitting Prime Ministers, this is why the Australian people turned away from the ALP and to the LNP. We now have the most negative and incompetent government replacing one of the most progressive and capable government in modern times lead by Julia Gillard, she may be remembered for being the first female Prime Minister, but personally I will remember her for much, much more.
@Rob031
“Or are you going to be simply another unimaginative, unthinking, gutless and all be it less-obnoxious version of the Abbott paradigm?”
Are you really suggesting that Labor would be a version of “the Abbott paradigm”? Or are you just trying to stir up the ALP people in some way?
Whatever the case, you have revealed that you have not properly read the article here, where the achievements of Labor and the failures of the Coalition are outlined. That you cannot see the imagination, the thinking and the bravery of Labor’s policy program, compared to the Coalition’s, is a worry. It is not a matter of the lesser of two evils; it is a dramatic contrast.
Here we are, nearly one year into the Coalition term of office and the Budget has not been passed through the Senate. Nevertheless, the Coalition will not change its budget, but will continue to negotiate with the cross benchers.
What room is there for negotiation if nothing is to be changed?
Meanwhile, the promise of small government is being upheld by the few days of actual sitting of Parliament so far. And the tiny number of bills actually passed, compared to Labor when in government. And the Ministers themselves fail to explain their policies, revealing that they are not ready to govern.
That the Coalition does not see the consequences of its borrowed policies, that the polls reveal that so much of the electorate rejects the Coalition, that the Coalition and particularly the PM are ridiculed around the world, is a clear indication that the Coalition is demonstrably unimaginative, unthinking, gutless and obnoxious.
I wouldn’t so much say Gillard had a vision for the future; the way science works is it discovers and adapts, discovers and adapts, she knew this. Abbott and Co. have a vision for the future; they have a set goal and anything that comes in the door, science or moral, has to be chopped and cherry-picked to reach that goal.
Please ignore my previous call for solidarity. We are doomed:
https://www.taxpayers.org.au/landslide-89-12-think-tony-was-wrong-to-scrap-reform-of-18c/
dianna,
that survey was just from members of the Australian taxpayers alliance.
Australian Taxpayers Alliance (ATPA) is the parent organisation of Menzies House, a website for “conservative, centre-right and libertarian thinkers and activists”.
One of the web domains registered by the Alliance is Reclaimaustralia.com.au. On it the slogan of ATPA is “fighting tax, regulation & waste”. Menzies House in turn has founded other short-term websites, which it describes as “our sister sites” — “Stop Gillards Carbon Tax and Support Bolt”. Another website, Closethetentembassy.com is, it states only on the donation page, is “operated by Menzies House, a subsidiary of the non-profit Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance.”
Menzies House was co-founded by Cory Bernardi. Anything they print is to be taken with a grain of salt.
Kaye Lee
I am aware the Taxpayers Alliance are a minority group. Not really the point I was making. They exist. Their freakin’ email turn up in my in-tray this morning, we need to be vigilant.
@ townsvilleblog – ref : “What a terrible disservice was done to Labor government ” etc. …… all of your comment – well said. Julia Gillard was indeed a very good PM … she got things done, and she negotiated well – despite the opposition from the other side AND the opposition within her own party ranks.
That’s why I believe it was as much to do with Rudd, that landed the Abbott in the high chair !! than anything else. People turned against Rudd, not so much the ALP itself. Well – I think so anyway.
Read ” high chair ” any way you like 😉
Iceland has told neo-liberalism and big business to eff off.
http://collectivelyconscious.net/articles/why-iceland-should-be-in-the-news-but-is-not/
Who beat John Howard? Kevin Rudd. Why was he not supported by the ALP ? Because he was going to take on the self-serving slime elements of the 2007 Unions. Who shafted Kevin Rudd. Refer to previous sentence.Why did they choose Julia as leader? To get the female vote to win the polls.Why did Julia fail? She was a captive of the sleaze element of the 2007 Unions. Did she have a vision? No,she was not Joan of Arc,just a naughty girl who was quite clever. A one hit wonder.
Abbott, when he was not in power was a NO man, now in power, he states the opposition just says no? any one see a inconsistency in the idea? regardless his promises to the Australian public was no surprises, like less taxes, remember? since he has gained power he has constantly contradicted himself, the worst part he is playing, is he is not able to realize he is a contradiction wrapped in a conundrum of a mystery that defies all reason.
Lou,
Interesting tactic of employing rhetorical questions, self-answered by unsupported, assumptive generalisations.
For all that defined her flaws, Ms Julia Gillard, and her government, managed to form a governing body through effective negotiation with disparate representatives, and managed to pass vast bodies of legislation with defined public purpose, and made some effort to conciliate with those of differing viewpoints.
She also, when asked for advice on how to improve domestic media coverage, memorably, but scarcely remembered, advised; ‘Don’t print crap’.
Calling dodgy journalism ‘crap’ shows perspicacity.
Calling science ‘crap’ shows superstitious ignorance.
Your views on those currently holding the reins of power?
Unfortunately, Shorten, has not a great charisma, and almost seems apologetic in speech and manner, the other guy he went against would have been better, although he has not sex appeal, I do not think that is the point but may go against him with the voting public, if Julian Gillard, were to return she would be seasoned and able, unfortunately, she has now become comfortable and to return to fight would be a civic duty that in today’s world has turned its back on conscience and now is is for saving ones self, or self is above all other concerns, the selfie reigns.
Should the British public rise up against the Monarchy to stop colonization? the social circumstance was unfavourable, same as Germany, civil population as a uprising, it is rare for the individual to rise up against tyrannical despots or those whom are ruthless.
Lou,
You need to listen to the people who actually made those decisions rather than wherever you are getting your info. Rudd was replaced as leader partly because the polls were bad (stupid reason if you ask me), and mostly because his own party and staff found him impossible to work with.
And careful dear…your misogyny is showing. Julia Gillard was chosen partly because she was the deputy leader but mostly because she is an intelligent hardworking person who was very good at her job. I find your comments about her indicate more about yourself. Ima guessing you like your women “sweet” and “obedient”.
I am not sure what your idea is of vision – coal fired generators perhaps? Selling every asset we own? Condemning a large portion of our society to poverty?
Far from being a captive of the sleaze element, Julia was a victim of it and we as a nation should be ashamed. Let me guess….you are a Pickering fan?
Are you aware that, for many months, cartoonist and conman Larry Pickering bombarded not just Julia but every member of federal parliament and every senator on almost a daily basis with emails containing hate-filled commentary about Gillard, often accompanied by cartoons, many of which depicted her naked and wearing a huge strap-on dildo. Anne Summers suggests he couldn’t envisage a Prime Minister without a penis, hence the strap-on.
Yet no Member of Parliament took steps to stop this or to denounce it in public.
To mars08 and Guest. Both of you have taken me to the task for the following:
“So, you ALP people. Are you simply going to cruise into a default victory when the shit hits the fan? Are you going to learn anything from all this? Or are you going to be simply another unimaginative, unthinking, gutless and all beit less-obnoxious version of the Abbott paradigm?
(‘unimaginative, unthinking, gutless‘ was a bit over the top – especially the last word. Apols.)
For the record I was not equating the ALP and the LNP parties (not their followers) in terms of their policies or their basic agendas in terms of policy. I’d choose the former over the latter any day.
The point I was trying to make was about how both play the political game in general. For example, much as I liked and admired Gillard she nearly drove me mental when I saw her not answering sensible questions; the very same way I feel now when Abbott and Co are doing the same thing.
Both parties are beholden to those that finance them and in this sense they’re very similar. While I’ve always been a payed-up union member rather than a crypto-fascist running dog lackey (my little joke!) and support unionism the funding thing bothers me still. Both are compromised by money.
As I can make out the business of ‘getting into politics’ involves learning the political game. They both appear to play this game. The game is coming under closer scrutiny these days. I just hope that the ALP can rise above it though I’m not confident that are able to do this as yet. That was my main point.
Another great article Kaye. I am one of those who would still like to believe that somehow we could get rid of this government before 2016. I am hoping that Sir Peter (the GG) will be forced to do a John Kerr. Maybe the Senate will block so much of the budget that a new election is the only way forward; or could ICAC uncover heaps of corruption in the federal front bench. I am probably living in a dream but I can see no problem hoping. By the way I like the “I Care” slogan and will use it in the August 31 march in Melbourne which is, by the way, the last “legal” march in Victoria before the State Government “Move On” legislation takes effect. Keep up the writing. There are a lot of us out there that really appreciate your research and effort.
Here is a list of the US presidential slogans. Nothing of much use.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._presidential_campaign_slogans
Putting People First …. Clinton…so pertinent, but I suppose overused.
Kinder, Gentler Nation …said George W….groan.
Both won though.
“he steals but he gets the job done” is apparently a Brazilian slogan. Next election, I think the Libs should use that as “he lies but he gets a job done, on you”.
@ Kaye …. ( August 18th – 8.26 pm ). Your expose about Larry Pickering and his bombardments at most or all MP’s … plus the utterly disgusting emails / images etc. about Julia wearing additional objects on her person – so’s she’d be ‘one of the blokes ‘ ??? ( dare not publicly declare what else I thought ).
Absolutely diabolical. And to think that no-one intervened or took any steps to stop it ….. especially by any Government intervention.
I knew nothing about this – had heard nothing about it at the time.
Good on you for exposing this, Kaye.
Sorry if I don’t worship at your altar,Kaye.No,I never liked schoolboy Pickering,and my idea of inspiring was Gough,he was shafted twice for being unlucky.Another inspiring government,the Chifley postwar.Bring refugees,but have something for them to build when they get here,like Snowy Mountains sustainable power stations and Australian made Holdens..Oh and glad you’re a fan of Bob and Tom show?….”age of a hairy ass” ! v.funny song.
Lou.
Full-stop.
Space.
Begin next sentence.
It makes our rants readable for those who care enough to try.
Lou,
If you were a regular reader you would know that I consider worship a waste of time, money and energy and I think altars are silly. This is not about me – I am just a middle-aged woman in her jammies who seeks to inform people and open discussion.
I agree about the need for job creation – the NBN and renewable energy industries would have helped. You probably have some good ideas. I would rather hear those than having palm fronds cast at my feet (or head).
Hold breath.
You who vilified Rudd (and still doing so) were part of the reason people voted for Abbott.
I had people tell me so.
I tried to say ” stop it” but no Julia Only would listen. I just wanted people to unite and not play Murdoch/Abbott’s game.
If you did not see the 63% approval for the blonde over the red then you were part of the downfall.
God don’t attack me again. I am tired of apologising for expressions of observations. Just think on’t. Don’t shoot me. You asked a question I am putting forward a thought. I watched and got anxious for if anyone had the most to lose from Conservative rule it is me and mine. Don’t divide a progressive party…for we all will lose.
It was the constant hatred and vilification of Rudd without and within that made the mindless vote LNP. Please can you stop now??
@ abbienoiraude …. Oh heck … do I ever agree with you on this one. Have been saying for almost a year ( to those who won’t listen ) that it was Rudd who helped Liberal into power. And God help me, I did so myself. Didn’t want either of the stinkers, so went with a small party in a form of non-commital vote … almost informal or donkey, but not quite. EXCEPT that I didn’t check to see who was giving preferences to whom. I was sickened by the choice presented, so galloped through the H of R mile long white ballot form, ( the Senate green form was easier ) … and voted for a smaller party. Would you believe I cannot now remember exactly which one ?
I did NOT do my homework. Many of us didn’t. We most likely didn’t think we needed to. It was all standard and status quo. And, much to my own chagrin, I was one of the mindless, but ONLY by default.
We must, in the future, look carefully at who is aligning with who in elections. And if we are not sure – make sure …. by getting on-line, by asking people handing out leaflets ( not that I think they’d be any the wiser ) …. and by doing our homework, BEFORE leaving our homes to vote.
Let’s learn the lesson, and make sure next time ( hopefully sooner than later ).
Tony Abbott appoints Lawler (from here on in, Kathy Jackson refers to him as “My Partner” so far the Royal Commission fails to name the Judge, seems to me it is an LNP white wash). Kathy Jackson HSU and cohort plan to dump Thomson in it with fake evidence produced by Marco Bolano.
Meanwhile Jackson sets up phoney consultancies in her name and bills the HSU, she then approves payment to herself with cheques she has signed on behalf of the HSU http://www.independentaustralia.net/jacksonville
Judge Lawler of the Fair Work Australia and Jackson become lovers. She blows the whistle on Thomson and Fairfax takes the bait.
Fairfax journo gets Walkley Award for busting the case wide open based on an amateur hour piece of evidence where Thomson’s name was spelt with a ‘P’ (Thompson) on what was a second carbon copy being the ‘bank pink’ slip. Unfortunately, the forgers wrote on the Carbon copy with first with blue ink; and then black biro.
Worse still, they insert in blue ink a bank code which is a sale rejection code, for every bank and vendor. That number is 211 at the top of the page.
That did not stop the Fair Work Judge launching an investigation ( a clear breach of conflict if interest rules) into Thomson’s paper trail in the HSU while his lover Kathy hides or attempts to destroy evidence that would expose her hundreds of thousands of dollars fraud of HSU funds.
Real whistle blowers inside the HSU provide Hard evidence to an investigative Blogger named Wixxy leaks. All of the Above is published on line for two years and every MSM journo got copies and not one was prepared to print a word. The ABC studiously avoided getting involved and Kathy Jackson Gives speeches to the adoring crowd at the HR NIcholls society, Abetz and Abbott an all.
Lawler’s investigation is damning and the Parliament ensures the mud sticks to Thomson. The same mud by the way that saw Kathy Jackson’s first husband expelled from the HSU for buying favours with prostitutes. Yet Kathy still use his surname? Weird.
When you see this all bundled up like Peyton Place stories. you have got to wonder when journos finally revisits this story who will go down; and who has benefitted from this rotten story.
Abbott’s mob’s hands are all over this, and they have been found by Judge Ares to have conspired to bring speaker Fisher down, and to get Mal Brough elected. http://www.independentaustralia.net/ashbygate Thereby forcing the minority Government to the polls.
I for one, see this as corruption at the highest level, and a case of the police forces both federal and state looking away while the ruling class does their thing. Meanwhile we are told that no one is above the law. Bullshit, Mr Abbott.
You are taking the piss or living in a parallel universe where time is flexible and “quotes” are not, actually, except in your vivid imagination.You’re worse than me but I do refrain from putting my constructs out there…mostly !! Nice post though,and proof positive that anything viewed online is crap unless it gets in the daily papers and still survives what one might call peer review.Without such,democracy is dead.Answer, is if you join a Union, snoop or leave.Shit will rise near the top in any ideologically driven group.
Dear Kaye of the Jammies, I referred to “worship” at the Altar not of your good self, but Julia Gillard, ….which will of course go on for some time yet. No, I’m not having a Clive Palmer moment. It makes me realize,once again,why lawyers and The Law need such precision in text.The printed word ,whether it be on paper or online, has this dreadful risk of misinterpretation. gap,pause. In my profession of civil engineering/surveying , that is why ONE SITE VISIT, with the other person or people, (now known as stakeholders), is worth 10 phone calls or 100 emails if you want clarity ! For some reason,letters in the mail tend to be less ambiguous..thesis in that for someone!
Anne B,
I do not know the format of the ballot papers for the upper and lower houses in your electorate in the last federal election, but in mine it was a different story.
There was a choice of 7 local candidates for the H of R. This was an easy choice, as all the candidates represented identifiable parties with clearly stated policies.
The senate ballot paper was an table-cloth of over 70 choices, with pirates, wikileaks, the party-party, stop the greens, and the ‘destroy all post-agrarian technology and revert to subsistence existence party'(may have made that last one up), among a myriad of others, including independents.
I was able to informedly direct all preferences in the lower house(house of reps), but had to vote above the line in the upper house(senate) ballot(I think this needs reform along the lines of a partial preference option).
Perhaps you are confusing the two?
I do apologise for my misunderstanding and feel suitably embarrassed. The comment about worship still applies. I could give many criticisms of the previous government but I believe that the mistakes that Julia made were largely forced upon her. Had she had the co-operation of her party, and the parliament more broadly, I believe she would have been an outstanding asset for our country. The circumstances in which she had to work were impossible. And this has NOTHING to do with her being a woman.
Corvus ….
Umm – er !! I DID, I believe, make the mistake. My apologies. As I often post late at night, I will plead tiredness being the cause ?? However, no matter what, I will never again throw away without thorough investigation, all the pamphlets handed out … ( which a huge % of people do ) …. and if it means I make the bloody queue behind me wait, I will read every last bit of all hand outs and then the ballot papers in the booths …… and mark accordingly. I MEAN that.
I have learned my lesson well and truly, by not checking who was giving preferences to whom, and what each party stood for – during the last horrid debacle we held – September 2013.
Thank for you for your comments – as usual. I tried a kind of ‘donkey’ ?? vote last time …. fell in a big hole. Have to wonder if anyone supervising the polling booth, would want me to “move on more quickly” ? because of the hordes of voters that turn up – and queue for such a long time. If I were to read the entire lot from top to bottom. Would be interesting, but not a democratic move by the polling booth supervisors …. methinks. !!!
p.s. I promise I won’t disrupt anything in future – majorly !!!!
I come here from time to time and read the odd post but this comment annoyed me
“I could go on listing the previous government’s achievements – introducing our first paid parental leave scheme, environmental protections with water trigger and Murray-Darling buyback and marine parks, the NDIS, the NBN, education funding – the list is long and visionary.”
NBN and NDIS does not exist. The Howard govt broadband policy in 2007 was better. Marine Parks?? They were all started by the Howard govt except for one which was started by Keating
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/rooted/2010/08/19/the-tide-turns-back-towards-labor-on-marine-parks/
“The Howard Government delivered the world’s first Oceans Policy and major marine parks in the Great Australian Bight, Australia’s south-east marine region around Tasmania, around our sub-Antarctic islands, and greatly increased protection of the Great Barrier Reef. A number of Australia’s major fisheries were rationalized and restructured, underpinned with a multimillion-dollar package to provide the necessary graceful exits. One of the biggest legislative reform agendas in Australia’s history was delivered with the creation of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Fish became recognized as wildlife not just a commercial commodity and hundreds of millions of dollars were invested through the National Heritage Trust in Australia’s first national program for coast and marine protection and rehabilitation.“
Anne B,
Forgive my pedantry, but an informal vote (I abstain, thank you), or vote cast for a known minority party with clear policy, is often, for me, a better option than a ‘donkey’ vote, which is, by definition, an unthinking numerical vote, 1 at the top, through the numbers to the bottom(usually only done in lower house ballots).
With the current system of either party-directed vote or full preferencing, it is very hard for a voter to make a fully informed preference vote in the upper house, particularly with the tactic employed by the ‘majors'(particularly LNP) of forming ‘shell’ parties with catchy, narrow interest names(‘save the environment party’) to trick the disgruntled into unknowingly voting for them.
This is why I support the notion of partial preferencing (1-20?)in the upper house.
PS, I fully realise the dangers of the post-midnight post. 😉
Most people here are very familiar with annoying comments, Neil.
YOURS.
Neil,
I know you will be forever camped in the Howard years but can you possibly, just for a moment, move onto THIS government and their rolling back of environmental protections?
“The opposition says the federal government needs to go back to the drawing board on its proposed network of marine parks.
The proposed marine reserves will cover 3.1 million square kilometres or one-third of Australian waters including the Coral Sea and the southwest coast of Western Australia.
The parks will limit fishing and some oil and gas exploration.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said on Friday he would back legislation to force the government to reassess the plans.
The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) said the opposition was contradicting the stance it took during its previous stint in government, when it created 11 marine parks.
“The Howard government established the world’s first Oceans Policy and began the process of establishing a national network of marine parks that the Gillard government is now completing,” AMCS director Darren Kindleysides said.”
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/coalition-wants-marine-parks-reassessed-20120824-24qnj.html
” The Howard govt broadband policy in 2007 was better.” We could have HAD fibre when we owned Telstra except for Howard.
On 15 November 2005 Telstra, the owner of the national copper network, announced a plan to upgrade its ageing networks, including a rollout of a fibre to the node (FTTN) network. At the time, the Federal Government was the majority shareholder of Telstra, but the plan did not involve any additional government investment. The rollout was later put on hold after the Howard Government refused to exempt the new network from laws requiring third party access, instead saying Telstra could achieve the exemption by applying to the competition regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Telstra dropped plans for the new network on 7 August 2006, after reaching an impasse in negotiations with the ACCC.
In June 2006 the Broadband Connect policy was announced by the Howard Government with an aim of providing greater access to broadband services in rural and regional areas. OPEL Networks—a 50–50 joint venture between Optus and Elders—was announced on 18 June 2007 as the sole successful bidder in tender. However the agreement was terminated because OPEL had “failed to meet the terms of [the] contract”.
“NDIS does not exist.”
The National Disability Insurance Scheme is being rolled out under budget, according to a report from the agency implementing the scheme.
Some disability advocates are concerned that the federal government is gearing up to delay the implementation of the NDIS.
Trials for the scheme began around Australia in July last year, with the full national roll-out due by 2019.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/ndis-rollout-on-track-as-costs-trending-downwards-at-all-trial-sites-ndia-report-20140818-3dwhg.html#ixzz3B1WLryd8
Neil of Sydney …….. please enlighten me / us further !! As far as I can ascertain, the NDIS does not exist any more …… in NSW. It does however, still exist in Victoria ( I have not checked on other States ). This seems to be a specific State oriented situation. The NBN will always be a contentious issue, and I cannot / will not comment on that one.
I accessed the link you provided. Interesting.
All I can say is …. if the Howard Government implemented a lot of plans to protect the environment, then little Johnnie’s protege – Abbott, is in the process of tearing the whole bloody lot down. He doesn’t HAVE a Minister for Science, under which this type of consideration for the environment would be allocated. He doesn’t give a damn what Gina Rhinehart does around the pristine beauty of the Great Barrier Reef … in fact the last I heard was he gave her the ok, by allowing her concessions, and to the dumping of coal dust on or near the Reef.
Abbott is not interested in bio-diversity … he is not interested in anything, except his own pursuit of ultimate power ( and I believe he sees that in global terms ?? ). He is willing to cut funds to any and all scientifice pursuits. And we won’t mention ( wlll we ) … the subject of his considered opinions on global warming. In his words … ‘it’s crap’.
However, if you are indeed, only an occasional visitor to this website, I will not hold my breath for a reply to my queries.
Kaye Lee has given a much better perspective to this entire situation, than I ever could.
Kaye
The marine parks were started and completed by the Howard govt. Your link says Howard created 11 marine parks. I think you will find Abbott is against making them any bigger. Gillard did not create a single marine park although did propose extending them but Abbott was against. I think Darren Kindleysides is mistaken.
And i see you mentioned OPEL. There was a signed contract with OPEL to bring broadband the the bush. After winning govt Rudd/Conroy broke the contract for dubious reasons. I think the NBN has gone to far to stop but it is not what the Coalition would have done if re-elected in 2007.
Saying the NBN is an achievement when it is not finished is not right.
Corvus …. I always forgive your pedantry !! 😉
I used the words “donkey vote” incorrectly ( gee whiz – I ain’t winnin’ any kudos much at the moment am I ? ) …. informal is indeed what I meant. Maybe I should just bloodywell say what it is I mean ? or shut me mouth. OR check it completely before making comment. Will work on that Corvus. But I did mean ‘informal’.
I approached the last election with a thought to put a dirty big slice through both ballot papers with the pencil – and some appropriate ( but mainly inappropriate ) comments at the time, written on both. However, my better half persuaded me not to do something “so damned ridiculous”. hmmm. The power of family.
Just an aside here …. my family have ALWAYS been Liberal voters – from as far back as generations go in our Westminster system.
A cousin just recently, verbally tore me to shreds because I am a swinging voter. “Oh s**t”, said she .. ” you can’t DO that – we have always been Liberal and always will be …. you absolutely MUST come back to the family traditions and vote Liberal ” …. I swear that was said to me. Bah bloody humbug to that.
The way I vote next time ( hopefully very soon ) will be with a great deal more care – I can assure me ( and you ). I can say however, it won’t be for the current monstrosity in power. Will figure it all out very carefully next time.
Very interesting your comments re ‘shell’ parties. Will be careful of that too, in the future.
I could go on listing the previous government’s achievements……………marine parks
The Rudd/Gillard govt did not create a single marine park. Here is a list of Australia’s marine parks. Most were created by the Howard govt. But Howard is given credit for creating a network of marine parks
http://greatforaustralia.net/history-of-marine-parks/
The Coalition is against making them any bigger because they say the parks are big enough.
Anne B,
Personally, I aspire to be not a ‘swinging’ voter(predictable pendulum punter) but a discerning voter.
Either is better than an ovine voter.
Those who rigidly pre-declare their choice by generational affiliation and automatically tick and flick by color choice do the quality of democracy no favors.
I will vote for the party(or not) who fields the most intelligent and principled candidate(s) who can clearly and honestly communicate detailed, beneficial policies and informed viewpoints, and negotiate rationally and effectively with others, compromising where necessary and/or appropriate.
Mindless barracking is the bane of intelligent society, on levels beyond the political.
Corvus … your aim is always damn near perfect. You hit many nails so well on heads – to drive the point home.
Your comments about familial affiliation in mindlessly following ‘a party’ …. is spot on. It does no one any favours and is banal. Although, a ‘swinging’ voter, sees that the harder the swing is swung, the pendulum hit, the higher it goes …. the more impact it is likely to have. And the more ability one has to see more clearly, who is doing what, etc. There’s lots more to consider.
Now it’s me being pedantic !! 🙂
A ‘swinging’ voter could mean just about anything eh ? Including attendances at naughty ‘key bowl’ evenings. LOL 😉
I think I prefer the ‘discerning’ voter …. will consider using that in future. Sounds a whole lot better.
great article Kaye Lee.
“I care but don’t give a toss” is the majority equivalent of “We Care”.
To the politically biased there is no redemption. Used to be called “Rusted On”
The Electoral Shitstem in this country, based on Two Party Politics, has at various times been challenged by newcomers from both of the mainstream parties.
PUP and before that Hanson(No Notion). Howard publicly ignored the Hansonites while sending Abbott (on full Parlimentary income support) to destroy them.. Through Abbotts Lieberal contacts a falsified court case put an end to Hanson.
Today PUP is the convenient distraction.( a dubious Millionaire Miner and Rusted on Bjelke Peterson accolyte takes a swing at the political shitstem.
The Greens began from the duplicity of Labor allowing Green Labor a birth then strangling the newborn because Green Labor threatened(in the sozzled minds of the faceless men) to upset the cosy factional breakup of seats at the annual convention where Labor rubber stamped the power structures.
The Greens began from a complete lack of trust that the Political shitstem could do anything other than serve the mainstream political players and their parties. (Same today as it was then).
The Greens offered choice to people who “Cared” to take more than a passing interest in the comings and goings of the political Shitstem served up as Australian Democracy. (Theres a stillborn concept)
The Greens, as a political force, face the wrath of the political shitstem daily and argue for Environmental outcomes as without a functioning environment there is no friggin’ economy worth talking about.
Much to the chagrin of the major political forces in this country the Greens have survived and continue to inform the political processes of Australia. Some say that the Greens are the conscience that the political Shitstem sold long ago.
While the Abbott Rabble rules(Joke) all around is a dismantling of the Democratic rights that were never written into the states rights document craftily called the Australian Constitution.
Abbott Rabble: Can’t Govern, Can’t stop Lying, Can’t count,
Export Abbott Not Refugees.
Thanks for a good article and some interesting comments. I do think that perhaps Abbott and co have done us a good turn by bringing us together, but it’s time for a change yet again. I voted green, not because they had any chance of getting in, but because I wanted to send a clear message to Labor to lean left and get honest.
If Labor would make a committment to stop all new Coal mines (particularly those set up by Nathan Tinkler) and to ban CSG fracking until the climate is stable again: if they swore to protect our remaining old forests, biodiversity and reward all humans for using birth control; that is when they would be guaranteed my vote. They did some fine things when they were last in power, but they need to do that and more again.
Please, my fellow bloggers, get your bodies out on the streets or blocking the gates of the mines and coal terminals. If you need some ideas of how to protest, go to 350.org, Greenpeace, Lock the Gate, Front Line Action on Coal or the protector group in your local area. Just do something… Politics has to be driven from the ground up and we don’t have time to wait around for the squabbling and readjustment as we are starting the slide down the slope towards the greatest extinction since the dinosaurs.
March Australia is happening again on the 30th of August and on the 21st of September, The People’s Climate Mobilisation in cities and towns around the World will take us on to the streets to support the UN Climate Summit. The world is in our hands and we all need to take Non Violent Direct Action in order to give our descendants and all we love about our world, the chance of a future.
Nettescape,
Absolutely, the signs of global consequences are becoming increasingly bleeding obvious to even the semi-aware, and the clever and observant(biospheric scientists) are getting seriously scared.
It is past the time to hope for change, it is time to change for hope.
Participation in the August 30th(31st in my neighborhood) marches are the least we can all do to pro-actively agitate for changes to public policy that are ever more rapidly becoming essential for a decent chance of survival for our descendents.
Beyond this window lies only the realm of reactive rage against that which it is too late to alter.
It is time for each of us to ask; what more can I do to help the future?
Fear not , there is a new Dr Who.Same as the old Dr Who of course .Bit like the situation in 1980 when we were all doomed to nuclear annihilation,or was it the coming ice age? We soon forgot about that circa 1988 when global warming early alert worriers had the planet at meltdown by 2020.They thought their computer programs were undeniable then,too. Happy days,smell the Roses.
Lou,
Since you cannot even seem to exercise the mental faculties to punctuate correctly(Sentence, next bit of sentence. Next sentence.) I will not even bother with any further inputs towards you regarding the other matters you splattered phrases about.
What you meant to say was “,,the mental faculties to allow you to..” and , later , “the other matters , about which you splattered phrases.” However it will have little impact on your coming Climate Change Armageddon because you have a neo-religious belief in said Apocalypse. Lets’s call you the High Priest of Latter Day Pessimists and Pedants. Have a nice day !
Lets’s all do that.
Your punctuation has improved, Lou.