I'm about to take Lib's car up the street to the garage and fill it with fuel and check the oil and tyres as I do most Saturday mornings. On the way back I'll stop off and cast my vote at the booth at the primary school for the state election.
As a 'Green' voter, I can't win outright, I know that. If the Labour Gov't is thrown out, which I expect to happen, the Libs will govern. That's bad. The Wilderness Society in a survey of environmental groups came up with the following ratings for the respective policies of the major parties-
Labour 50%
Libs 15%
Greens 93%
On the other hand, if the Lib's win, the $10.3 million that Labour promised Puffing Billy probably won't happen. I'm not a PB fan; it's a noisy, polluting, self serving drain on the state's finances. I don't know why it is such a sacred cow. I don't mind it being preserved in the museum at Belgrave. Even run it up and down a few hundred metres now and again if you must. The prime land the railway takes up could be put to a better use. How about a Flora and Fauna Corridor? A Nature Trail? A Heritage Trail? All with educational and tourism potential greater than PB's spouted tourism return, which I believe is grossly overstated. The $10.3 mill offer has got me seriously considering where to put my second preference.
It's a dilemna. Our sitting Labour member Tammy Lobato has been terrific. I'd hate see her go. She's a wonderful lady. It's a hard business. It won't be her fault if Labour loses.
Brumby is on the nose.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
War and Peace
Lib and I went to the Leonard Cohen concert in Melbourne on the 13th November.
My friend Maria requested a report so I replied as follows-
'It was sensationally good. He's a master with words and timing, and he has a winning formula I've seen before in performance DVD's. As it obviously works he sticks to it, so it is now relaxed and well oiled. It took me a few songs to slip into the slow mesmerising rhythm, then I almost drifted asleep, but slowly my senses came sharper and sharper and the show kept getting better and better. Not only do I love the songs but he's a consumate performer. The musicians and girl singers were also wonderful and the chemistry within the group was magic. There were three standing ovations to end what was a memorable concert, surpassing my wildest expectations.
It may sound a little mushy but there was stage rapport that extended to the audience and enveloped it. I found it inspiring that so many people can feel the same thing at once. It seemed to convey a message of hope and togetherness and human goodness, as in one of his songs, 'There's a crack, where the light comes in.'"
I finished a book last week, 'Centennial' by James Michener, an epic historical novel in the Michener's style, of 1100 pages. I took three months to finish it, enjoying it thoroughly, and I'm in the mood. My new book is one I have been eying off on the shelf for some time.
'War and Peace' by Count Leo Nickelayevich Toltoy, is, I notice, 1400 pages, so it'll carry me well into the new year. So far I've only read the introduction by the translator. Two quotes immediately struck me in light of my comments to Maria regarding Leonard Cohen.
The Introduction starts with the quote, "There is no greatness where simplicity, goodness and truth are absent."
Towards the end, "In 1812 simplicity, goodness and truth overcame power, which ignored simplicity and was rooted in evil and falsity."
I think I'm going to enjoy Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'.
My friend Maria requested a report so I replied as follows-
'It was sensationally good. He's a master with words and timing, and he has a winning formula I've seen before in performance DVD's. As it obviously works he sticks to it, so it is now relaxed and well oiled. It took me a few songs to slip into the slow mesmerising rhythm, then I almost drifted asleep, but slowly my senses came sharper and sharper and the show kept getting better and better. Not only do I love the songs but he's a consumate performer. The musicians and girl singers were also wonderful and the chemistry within the group was magic. There were three standing ovations to end what was a memorable concert, surpassing my wildest expectations.
It may sound a little mushy but there was stage rapport that extended to the audience and enveloped it. I found it inspiring that so many people can feel the same thing at once. It seemed to convey a message of hope and togetherness and human goodness, as in one of his songs, 'There's a crack, where the light comes in.'"
I finished a book last week, 'Centennial' by James Michener, an epic historical novel in the Michener's style, of 1100 pages. I took three months to finish it, enjoying it thoroughly, and I'm in the mood. My new book is one I have been eying off on the shelf for some time.
'War and Peace' by Count Leo Nickelayevich Toltoy, is, I notice, 1400 pages, so it'll carry me well into the new year. So far I've only read the introduction by the translator. Two quotes immediately struck me in light of my comments to Maria regarding Leonard Cohen.
The Introduction starts with the quote, "There is no greatness where simplicity, goodness and truth are absent."
Towards the end, "In 1812 simplicity, goodness and truth overcame power, which ignored simplicity and was rooted in evil and falsity."
I think I'm going to enjoy Tolstoy's 'War and Peace'.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Mental Arithmetic
On the subject of Afghanistan, where my last two posts have focused, I've had a few figures going through the head. I understand we have 1500 soldiers currently there. I gather from my perusal of the ADF website the other day that our soldiers are each payed a tax free deployment bonus of $200 per day.
1500 X $200 = $300,000
That's $300,000, PER DAY, in bonus alone. That gives you some idea what this is costing the Australian taxpayer. I also discovered that while serving overseas a soldier's salary is tax free. Add to that transport and munitions, logistics and administration, and the mind starts to boggle. How many years have we been there now? I think it might be six. How many more years are we to be there? 5 to 10 I think, it was suggested in the 'debate'.
$300,000 X 365(days) X 10(years) = $1,095,000,000
That's nearly 1.1 billion dollars, in tax free bonuses alone, over a decade. I was always quite good at mental arithmetic, but if my calculations are flawed or facts incorrect I'd appreciate if someone would correct me.
It's almost unbelievable to this Aussie battler who hesitates before incurring the cost of a new pair of work boots.
1500 X $200 = $300,000
That's $300,000, PER DAY, in bonus alone. That gives you some idea what this is costing the Australian taxpayer. I also discovered that while serving overseas a soldier's salary is tax free. Add to that transport and munitions, logistics and administration, and the mind starts to boggle. How many years have we been there now? I think it might be six. How many more years are we to be there? 5 to 10 I think, it was suggested in the 'debate'.
$300,000 X 365(days) X 10(years) = $1,095,000,000
That's nearly 1.1 billion dollars, in tax free bonuses alone, over a decade. I was always quite good at mental arithmetic, but if my calculations are flawed or facts incorrect I'd appreciate if someone would correct me.
It's almost unbelievable to this Aussie battler who hesitates before incurring the cost of a new pair of work boots.
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