entitlements ... ???

OK, will post this - not written by me, but seems to be pottering around the internet, and caught my interest.
 Mainly due to "Honest Joe's" claim (or policy intention) that
 "... the age of entitlement" is over.

Will also accept that the requests have Buckley's chance of happening.

 Proposals to make politicians and bureaucrats shoulder their share of the weight now that the Age of Entitlement is over                    

                   1. Scrap political pensions.                             Politicians can purchase their own retirement plan, just as most other working  Australians are expected to do.
                           
                   2. Retired politicians (past, present & future) participate in Centrelink.                            A Politician collects a substantial salary while in office but should receive no salary when they're out of office.
                            Terminated politicians under 70 can go get a job or apply for Centrelink unemployment benefits like ordinary Australians.
                            Terminated politicians under 70 can negotiate with Centrelink like the rest of the Australian people.

                   3. Funds already allocated to the Politicians' retirement fund be returned immediately to Consolidated Revenue.
                        This money is to be used to pay down debt they created which they expect us and our grandchildren to repay for them.
            
                   4. Politicians will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Politicians pay will rise by the lower of, either the CPI or 3%.        
                   5. Politicians lose their privileged health care system and participate in the same health care system as ordinary Australian people.                             i.e. Politicians either pay for private cover from their own funds or accept ordinary Medicare.
           
                   6. Politicians must equally abide by all laws they impose on the Australian people.          
                   7. All contracts with past and present Politicians men/women are void effective 31/12/14.                            The Australian people did not agree to provide perks to Politicians, that burden was thrust upon them.
                            Politicians devised all these contracts to benefit themselves.
                            Serving in Parliament is an honour not a career.
                            The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so our politicians should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
           
If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people, then it will only take three or so days for most Australians to receive the message. Don't you think it's time?

                   THIS IS HOW YOU FIX Parliament and help bring fairness back into this country!                   
                   If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete.



Um, don't delete, that bit came with the circular email from which this was 'copied' and 'pasted'..

It also fascinates me that politicians - or the current Federal lot - refuse to believe that they, themselves, are also paid - same as 'welfare' recipients - out of Australian COMMONWEALTH funds.



  

plan F

um, there are times when there is a failure of intelligence communication 'interconnection'.. mostly generated by technology.

These days i mostly just walk a few 100 yards - or couple of kilometres to talk with people, or they walk past and communicate with me.

Reverting to 'ancient', perhaps.

mad bastards

um, OK, haven't been posting much of late as my $800.00 laptop with Windows 7 installed keeps giving me "blue screen error" messages.

Have, however, decided to revert to an "ancient technology" - dig around in a not very deep pocket and purchase a 'box' with Win XP pro installed.  Only $300.00 from an interesting asian person.

Can, now, connect my 'ancient' Canon HDV miniDV tape-record video camera and have the system 'recognise' it  (geez, only 5 years old) ..

Will, however, keep the laptop to see what's happening on "the internet" and check emails .. but there is no way that i want to plug the 'big box' into it. Too much crap out there. Ah, the costs of 'connecting'.

Can, of course, still remember how to tie the laces on a pair of walking boots, and wander dirt roads, 'old growth' forests; and places where noisy 500cc knobby tyred motor bikes can't go.

..Oh.. the heading comes from something else that have recently noticed on the "internet"
http://www.moviecritic.com.au/mad-bastards-film-movie-review/

Haven't actually 'seen' it yet, but looks interesting.

(and yes, i did begin with the title 'crash dump' as anyone with the nous to find Gaggles cache, but sort of changed it halfway through the writing of -and please,, yep, the dangling is  .. heh) 

.. isms

Had been pondering  "..isms" for a while .. racism, capitalism, terrorism, socialism, feminism  .. birthism  etc.(contributionism?) - but hadn't really clarified it into some sort of shortish comment. Still haven't, but this shortish video sums up a few things .. and is a foundation for further thought.

capitalism;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Fzm1hEiDQ&feature=player_embedded
which sort of looks at 'terrorism'.

Hang about, this post will be edited and sort of refined(?) - or not. Felt the need to post it now (thanks for link, Link)

apropos nothing

mm, whatever, might just ramble. No real reason .. bits 'n' pieces (why does "i" have to come before "e" before "c" .. ? Or is it 'peaces' after 'see'?

anyway, local feuds .. whateverever. One of these days will begin to understand.

pre-emptive assumptions

 Davo said...

mm, that post was somewhat 'uncharacteristic', but yup. Understood.

One of the things that fascinates me IS words; the use thereof, and the subliminal resonances - yer, I know, bear with me on this.

Have, quietly and without success, argued that there was no real reason to change the perception from "handicapped" to "disabled".

Think on this; horseracing analogy.

The BEST, most able, horses are handicapped. given weights to slow them down.

drag them down into some sort of 'equality'.

Just playing with conceptual words - but if i had a preference - would rather be 'handicapped', not 'dis-abled'.

January 30, 2011 11:59 PM

That, obviously, is a "copy 'n' paste, and for some reason beyond my knowledge of the hidden "codes" behind computer programming, didn't transfer accurately.

The "words" did, but not the "format".

So, which is more important to communication and understanding? Words or format. Words or 'pretty', 'beautiful', 'attractive' "presentation"?

Not only that, it was a "comment" on someone elses blog - and am not all that fluent on the keyboard at the best of times, and sort of resent it when "the computer" tells me what words to write, and how to spell them -especially if it subliminally takes the "you" out of 'colour'.

So much, so much; belongs to a longer story. So many trees trashed with wasted words.

Define "homeless" in 20 words or less.

But getting back to this concept of "handicapped" vs "dis-abled".

A recent friend of mine regularly (or not) turns up on my doorstep with a carton of beer under his arm. Left formal education at age 12 - been around a bit (drill rigs and mines sites at various places on this planet). Now age 42, survived a massive heart attack and stroke about 2 years ago; six months in coma. Seems to like me since I know, or understand what he talks about (who else around here has ever heard the word "Tesla"). Am guessing that he may well have qualified for Mensa PRIOR to the stroke. He is very direct, language liberally sprinkled with 'eff' and 'effin' - and takes no bullshit. Getting close to making me think on a chess board.

Apart from many untold anecdotes about my personal interactions with people who are difficult to understand - there is also a book written by William Horwood (not me) - SKALLAGRIG.

 Might just leave it at this .. food for further thought.

Australia day whenever

[updated with pic of design - but am still working on the details ..]

[post under construction!!!!! originally written in 'wordpad' transferred to blogger - am still trying to sort out which platform does what!]

OK, will try to go through all this yet again. The discussion has been long-running. One of the major problems is - how to incorporate a multi-cultural society into strongly  identifying with a "common" symbol. Have written on this previously, and yes, the Australian aborigines have achieved their own "unifying" symbol.
Simple,
Stunningly beautiful.
However, doesn't symbolise the rest of us.

 I could mention at this point -  that one of the problems the early colonial administration HAD was that there WAS NO "unification" among the aboriginals - or rather - they had no "European" style pyramidal structure that the Europeans could identify with. No 'overarching' "Emperors",  "Kings", "Lords", "Barons" to "prove" their "armies" were superiour;  no 'peasants' suffering aforementioned Lords or emperors tromping across territory. Were forced to deal and negotiate with each, and every, individual local tribe as they came across them.
[am, of course, of European heritage and mythology - there is no "King Arthur" among the aborigines as yet)

While there WAS "communication" across the length and breadth of this island, and the tribes; before Captain Cook - there was no "common" language. Haven't looked it up recently, but seem to remember a number in the region of 300+ 'language' groups in Australia, prior to European occupation. And yes, while am at it - there was no "invasion" as I understand the word - seems to infer some sort of large "armed conflict" - the taking of land by force. Yes, a very fine point of semantics.  Reading the history of the trials, troubles, tribulations and conflicts of Arthur Phillip will cast some light on why I write this. He really DID try to be "nice" to the locals, negotiate with them.. (I might also  suggest that the aboriginals may well have had a worse problem if the Dutch or French administrations of that period in history had taken any interest in "colonising" this island continent). Perhaps some of the more "English literate" among the tribes will try to comprehend.

However, Europeans have been in this country, this land since 1788 (or therebouts).  While yes, I recognise that the attitudes of the early European settlers leave much to be desired; there is now a groundswell of "inclusion".  What the aboriginal tribal leaders choose to do about that is, well, up to them.

Which  (skipping several paragraphs) brings me to the notion of an Australian "National" flag.
I did, some time ago, have go at designing one.  Not an easy task (have lost several computers and 'hard drive' storage) and am not 'cluey' about CAD (computer assisted design) .. So.
Somehow the land, the ground that has been here since before recorded history; on which one stands, defends (drought or floods regardless) - from which we draw sustenance and sustainability; surpassing politics and personal ambition -  has to be recognised as the foundation. Since 1901, the 'nation' of Australia (and would ask readers to look up the definition of "nation") has been revolving, evolving around the notion of "identity".

So, imposed on "the land" is the seven point star (Seven point stars are not easy to find in this "standardised" computerised CAD planet).  The number 'seven', apart from resonating into European mythology - is also the number of independent States; at federation - and one of the reasons there is a reluctance to grant the "Northern territory" and "ACT" (Australian Capital territory) - statehood.  One would then  have to incorporate a "nine" point star into the central, survivable point of the flag.

So, given restrictions of colour (3-6)- though i do see that the new South African estandart has six colours -  format (Both sides have to match), practicality (flags tend to fray over time - have to be recognisable when frayed by half; and 'upside-down' - international distress signal).
[an aside; Um, given that thought, perhaps the brit bit at the top left may still be valid. The yanks are off saving themselves]
So, flag design is not easy.

(bear with me, i have begun - yet again - to design an Australian  National flag ..spent about 8 hours this morning - but seems to have been saved somewhere beyond my expertise in understanding Windows 7 .. grmble grumble .. will FIND IT!!!!, dammit)



Oh, now writing into the blogger 'compose.'

Permit me to try and describe.  the seven point star of Australian federation resides  at the  top left (sinister) corner near the head of the flagpole - the "jack". It  sits on an ochre gound. To the dexter (right hand) side are four bars. Black(recognising the custodianshp of the original in habitants), white (us twits), green (it can be, on occasion), gold (asperations). (and yes, have looked at the 'majority' poll on Ausflag who seem to 'identify' with "red, white, blue".

However, would like to 'bend' those four bars into a triangle shape (and yes, a subliminal "boomerang") pointing to the 'predominant' (but sacrificial) half of the flag.

The "southern cross" predominant in a deep blue sky.
(have been in a small boat in the open ocean when all 'electonics' failed. That set of stars led me home).

And yes, am aware that some of my 'pagan' friends may well do a '?'; but crux and acrux has been around, known to big ocean navigators,  long before the Roman priesthood concocted a scary myth out of nailing dissenters to trees.

Australia day when

yes, am old, tired, worn out..

repetitive, regurgative

My country

MY space, the spectrum of where I live, breathe, think. Can't really articulate it better than this.
(PS, the video is a humdinger .. heh)

Am trying to remember (and find the pics) of the year (somewhere in the '70's) when i hired a houseboat on the Murray. Can remember driving it past the "shacks" built on stilts, and looking into the widows.

whatever takes ya fancy

Yer, I know .. a wombat in hibernation .. much has been happening 'in real life' - some of which made me have a squizz at the internet.

Found this .. which has nothing whatsoever to do with anything very much ..

just thought it funny ..

An engineer and a programmer

A programmer and an engineer are sitting next to each other on a long flight from Los Angeles to New York.

The programmer leans over to the engineer and asks if he would like to play a fun game.

The engineer just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks.

The programmer persists and explains that the game is real easy and is a lot of fun. He explains "I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me $5. Then you ask me a question, and if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $5."

Again, the engineer politely declines and tries to get to sleep.

The programmer, now somewhat agitated, says, "OK, if you don't know the answer you pay me $5, and if I don't know the answer, I'll pay you $100!"

This catches the engineer's attention, and he sees no end to this torment unless he plays, so he agrees to the game.

The programmer asks the first question. "What's the distance from the earth to the moon?" The engineer doesn't say a word, but reaches into his wallet, pulls out a five dollar bill and hands it to the programmer.

Now, it's the engineer's turn. He asks the programmer "What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down on four?"

The programmer looks up at him with a puzzled look. He takes out his laptop computer and searches all of his references. He taps into the Airphone with his modem and searches the net and the Library of Congress. Frustrated, he sends e-mail to his co-workers--all to no avail.

After about an hour, he wakes the Engineer and hands him $100. The engineer politely takes the $100 and turns away to try to get back to sleep. The programmer, more than a little miffed, shakes the engineer and asks "Well, so what's the answer?" Without a word, the engineer reaches into his wallet, hands the programmer $5, and turns away to get back to sleep.

(from http://www.ahajokes.com/avi001.html )

Ooo, lookee

[click pics fer biggeruns]

From the Maize Island campgrounds near Waikerie, I went through Renmark and up to the Mertho 'forest' floodplains, north of Paringa. (there is, as always, many, many words belonging to the 'back story' about that trip - and also about this area (was here in 1999 in a Toyota Coaster bus). Suffice it to say, was sitting minding my own business in the silence after sundown when I hear noises in the trees close by. There, silhouetted against the starlit sky was ..
Not only that - there were TWO of them. Methinks they are Brushtail possums .. and have never seen one in the wild before. Plenty of ringtail possums on Kangaroo Island, 50 years ago .. but never a brushtail.

Also, while am at it - echidnas.

While at the Burra Creek campground, also spotted one of these ..
Once again, first time that have seen one "in the wild" for 50 years.

(they're both on video)

apparent Hiatus

Um, am only a mere male. Cannot "multitask". Am dealing with one problem at a time.

Google loves me

Ah, well. Have been arseholing some accounts and it is time to ditch Google.

Not easy, ming (sic) you, but hey .. "free markets".

Festivals

Yer, I know - through many and ancient myths and legends; Festival of Rebirth and Renewal - whatever the Romans chose to call it. Odd, in many ways. Was a "Spring" festival for the northern hemisphere, and here's us in the antipodes on the verge of Autumn, working towards winter. Whatever; perhaps the notion holds true throughout the ages regardless of seasons.

For a few days This Campground has many children with unfettered space to play.

thoughts on a Friday night

One of my favourite internet reads mentioned the star cluster Orion. Yes Ann, it is shared by both North and South hemispheres; but will write something about it later.
What's giving me the irrits at the moment is "generators". Those little motor thingos that the "new nomads" use to pretend that their lifestyle still needs plasma TV's and electric kettles. Gahhhh!! Honda says it is the "quietest" .. but when one is fired up 6 foot away from my van and run through the beauty of the evening sunset .. sort of pisses me off.

Sheesh.. they come to a "bush camp" in their multi thousand zero plastic winnebagos.. and expect things to be as they were when they lived in the city suburbs.

Into the Kitchen

Has been a bit warm, of late, but haven't melted yet.

Ah, had intended to be a bit subtle, but for those who miss it .. the digital Temp reads 50.8C .. and fer those yankees who depend on "shock horror" numbers .. that's 123.44 degree Fahrenheit in your part of the world.

Ausflag

Yer, i know,apart from falling in the floor and breaking unbreakable platters, have just discovered a drop-down list within "Open office" called "draw". hoo boy, designs at the flick of a mouse .. heh.

Ausflag

Changing the rhythm.2

Kevin Rudd vs Malcolm Turnbull.

The "contenders" are now "in the ring".

diaspora

This is a new word - well, old word and concept *- that has just re-asserted itself into my consciousness.

We all - well, us "westerners" - seem to be fixated on the problems associated with the peoples from Judea and Palestine .. aided and abetted by the "main stream meeja", I guess .. but there are others.

There are longish stories from elsewhere on this planet.

Have just begun to look into this one.
Tamil Nation and beyond.

(* but take no responsibility for the veracity, nor spelling in this site)

diff'rent folks, diff'rent strokes

Dunno the actual background to this pic, obviously from a Chinese newspaper - but found it in a beautiful post on Tumbleweed in Space (formerly Tumbleweed in Timor lorosae).

CHENGDU, China - A Chinese policewoman is contributing to the country’s massive earthquake relief effort in a very personal way -- by breastfeeding eight babies. A newspaper in Chengdu, the capital of quake-hit Sichuan province, devoted a special page to the 29-year-old woman, calling her a “hero.” The woman from the quake-ravaged town of Jiangyou has just had a child herself, the Western Urban Daily said. She is nursing the children of three women who were left homeless by the quake and are too traumatised to give milk, as well as five orphans, the report said. The babies who lost their parents have been put in an orphanage which does not have powdered milk, it said. An estimated 50,000 people were killed in the May 12 earthquake, China’s worst natural disaster in a generation.
- Sapa-AFP.

Can't imagine the local constabulary attempting anything similar, anytime soon. There was a big brouhaha here some time back when a Pollie tried breastfeeding one of her own, in Parliament.