IT’S NICE TO BE AUSTRALIAN

 WE ARE ONE ...  Further thoughts

 The bad ...

Our Victoria Government has achieved squat to address any ’race’ or ‘cultural’ issues other than to support local councils to abandon their duty to welcome new Australians as ‘one’.  This had gotten so bad that at Port Phillip Council they removed all pictures of the Queen and abandoned the yearly Christmas tree because that tree was a symbol of Christianity and may just offend someone.  These idiots have no concept of a democracy. Apart from the fact that just 44% of Australians identify as Christian, it is the largest bunch but for any one group to demand removal of someone else’s ‘history’ speaks of stupidity and woke entitlement.

 Same for the Federal government.  We are all ‘sorry’ that history has treated some with less than egalitarian behaviour but WE cannot accept responsibility because it wasn’t ‘us’ that perpetrated any ‘crimes’.  Keep in mind – different era and different norms driving different acts. 

 Land - the prize in nearly all wars ...

We all own public land yet none of us own any part of it.  Simple.  It is land we all have rights to enjoy and all have responsibilities to protect.  Why?  Because we are mere caretakers for our allotted time on this planet.  Same for our houses.  We struggle to purchase ‘a place to be’ and assume ownership through toil as a matter of pride but, when we shuffle on all bets are off because, we’re dead.  Next.  Indeed, we were mere caretakers.

 But, ‘a place to be’ has far wider ramifications for some because they celebrate ‘belief’ history.  Enter indigenous culture.  I make no assertions as to the validity of those beliefs or even understand other than to say everyone has a right to believe in something.  For some it’s Allah, for some it’s God and for some it’s Dreamtime.  All are valid for the person and all give hope through history and a better future. This is a good thing albeit when one lot says my God is better than yours and then shoots the lesser God person just for their different beliefs, it’s a bad thing.  That fool Putin was deemed ‘the exorcist’ by his own church to eradicate everyone in Ukraine as they were all Nazis and Satanists – an obvious and pre-pubescent excuse for genocide - the ‘lesser God’ scenario and it’s so ridiculous it’s beyond words.

 My lot has also done horrible things over the centuries including the Vikings plundering their area of the world and settling in someone else’s country.  That’s my heritage yet I feel no desire to say ‘sorry’ to the Irish for something I did not do.  As it turns out, my long past history is somewhat violent and we are our history albeit I have little desire to conquer say Tasmania. Why?  Because I actually grew up and at least try to respect everyone else’s beliefs as long as those beliefs don’t propagate hurt.  Iran has seriously blotted their copy book in this regard as we speak as has Putin as has ....

 However, the concept of a ‘place to be’ is strong, and for some, linked to history.  Quite a few cultures have ‘sacred’ sights which may have rock paintings or whatever and need to be preserved but, dare I say,  not owned because we are just caretakers and it is up to all of us to work ‘as one’ to help protect other’s beliefs through the preservation of their history.  No argument possible.  ‘Dignity’ is a key concept because it encompasses both honour and respect.  I personally fail to see the religious connotations of an historic midden but then it’s none of my business other than to help protect that midden because I both honour and respect the beliefs of those that do see significance.  This is ‘we are one’ in real action.  We are all Australian.  Different beliefs, but all Australian protecting our rights to believe with free speech.

 Incidentally, being ‘racist’ is singling out some group as different requiring different actions just because they are different.  The sad thing is that people identified as bad-different tend to devolve to that marginalised archetype. ‘Gangs’ and the displaced all over the world speak this as truth. If we allow ‘the voice’ we are by definition completing a racist act because we see indigenous people as different needing more than other groups.  This is wrong.  Quotas for women in parliament are equally dysfunctional because it demeans women as needing quotas to succeed.  This is also wrong.

Given indigenous representation in parliament  is already above proportional [2.5% of population but 3.1% of parliamentarians] this ‘voice’ for parliament is the most racist bullshit we have constructed out of ‘woke’ diatribe driven by adolescent thinkers.  It’s as bad as ‘quotas’ for anything – demeaning and racist.

 So, what to do?

I know it’s rather trite but treating all people with honour and respect whilst living and breathing the mantra ‘we are one’ is the absolute minimum requirement.  Individuals with different beliefs creating our collective future ‘as one’ because we are ‘all Australian’.  Simple.   We don’t have to like each other and can choose not to interact but we must always honour and respect.  That is until they also blot their copy book.

One success key entails the ‘meaning’ behind the ceremonies on Australia day as they are not past driven but ‘future’ orientated.  A future for people who want to be Australian joining the ranks of the ‘we are one’ where honour and respect for all without any form of race or belief discrimination is paramount.  The spoken words and commitments are important.

 

It’s nice to be Australian.  

WE ARE AUSTRALIAN – WE ARE ONE

 Australia Day and Citizenship Ceremonies.

What a fantastic image ‘we are one’ is through which to discuss anything.  Why? Because those simple 3 words have an overriding philosophy of mutuality leading to a shared future.  Wow!!

Keep in mind that ‘we are our history’ and it’s that history which propels our differences towards cohesiveness.  Sadly, the ‘shouty’ morons who support the so called ‘cancel culture’ have no inkling that they are trying to destroy our collective culture by creating their own version of history and always through misplaced self entitlement.

And, it’s that cultural history which must be celebrated albeit within the context of where we live and where we want to be. This is where ‘free speech’ is a God given right to be treasured and encouraged.  How else do we learn?  Agree or disagree, it’s everyone’s unalienable right to opinion.

I am Australian with blood lines from Denmark and Ireland.  This inexorably links me to those countries and peoples but, I am still Australian and ‘one’ with Australia.  My blood history is somewhere else but I am Australian.  My family’s history is somewhere else yet I am still Australian.  For nearly 75 years I have been Australian.  I was standing on the school’s bleaches in Launceston waving my flag for our brand new Queen as she drove by.  Why?  Because I was Australian and celebrated the occasion along with every other Australian.  We were ‘one’.  What a great choice she was.

There are many amongst us who want to usurp that ‘we are one’ balance for their own selfish motives by claiming they are ‘more special’ therefore demanding greater recognition.  They believe that democratic proportional representation was / is for someone else yet, that very concept is critical to preserving our combined history - but always within the concept of ‘we are one’.  Everyone has a say whilst everyone else listens with respect and an open mind.

Indeed, our histories meld and blend but we accept the differences with clear thinking and, dare I say, dignity above all.

When our moronic ancestors [we all have them], moronic politicians and equally moronic organisations tread the easy path of appeasing the shouty people by openly rejecting ‘we are Australian and we are one’ they are in effect trying to cancel our history and subjugate democracy to those with the loudest voice. 

Like it or not, ‘Australia day citizenship ceremonies’ are all about bringing gaggles of disparate peoples and cultures into the fold of ‘WE’ are Australian.  An all embracing culture offering togetherness for a combined future.  NOT cancelling anyone’s history but embracing it with respect and dignity.

We can’t cancel history, good or bad, but we can celebrate and learn.  Indeed, our history makes us aware and strong.  Our history is us!  But, our history does not define our future and that future can only be won if ‘we are one’ as ‘we are all Australian’.  ‘We’ are not responsible for our somewhat chequered history and cannot be held accountable for something we did not do but we are all accountable for what we do now and our future and indeed share that responsibility as ‘one’. 

Our democracy / system of Government is for all, our laws are for all and our beautiful country is for all.  For all Australians to revel in and enjoy – no exceptions.  January 26 defines Australia going forward as ‘one’. It does NOT celebrate dodgy behaviours by our ancestors, it cements our future because we are Australian and we are one!

Every year on ‘Australia Day January 26’ we all ‘as one’ remember and treasure our individual and collective past, good and bad, whilst reaffirming our commitment to Australia and ‘we are one’.  The morons who try to usurp or ignore the importance of this concept have truly missed the point.

Personally, I will celebrate on Australia day being Australian in God’s own country.

NGV - an open letter

 

Mr Tony Elwood,

Director  NGV

I just read about the ‘new’ NGV building been given the nod by someone.

I have to say I think we have wasted time, talent and money failing to embrace architecture which would be seen as ‘fantastic’ in 100 years.  There are so many absolutely gob-smacking buildings around the world whilst we end up with mediocrity.  For example, Federation Square is a joke because it does not embrace our upside down river and has no architectural merit.  Another example was the proposed redevelopment over Flinders Street Station.  The designs were awful especially when we have Gare De Lyon  in Paris as a beautiful blueprint.  Fantastic ‘classical’ architecture ignored.  On the other side of the coin is the soccer stadium which typifies the game, is great architecture and conveys an ethos which is palpable.

The brutalist structure that is the NGV has never been a landmark other than a grey lump on St Kilda Road.  Obviously there are parts which demand respect such as the water wall and the stained glass ceiling but overall is lacks dynamism.  It’s a lump.  Good buildings flow!

How about dealing with this structure first!  Make it sing!

I am an idiot but even I can see concept flaws that can be addressed quickly and easily. 

There are two elements at play - firstly the ‘grey walls’ with zero life and secondly the outside ‘ponds’ also being imagination stagnant. There is no soul and no smiles.  Just the opposite are the lit ‘birds’ on the nature strip which are fantastic and playful and worthy of respect.  Proof is in watching kids faces as they see ‘stuff’.  Building ‘0’, birds ‘10’. 

However, the grey lump is a perfect backdrop for ‘art’ being nondescript whilst allowing ‘things’ in front to sing.  A contained line of sight.

My suggestions, as an idiot, are simple and cost effective.

Firstly, the ponds need movement to distinguish them from concrete puddles.  The simple solution is a wave machine and/or bubbles and/or maelstroms emanating from all over the ponds.  Dynamic movement!  This is low tech and in use all over the world.  Simple, easy, cheap and quick.

Secondly, standing within those now dynamic water features and against the drab grey walls we need fantastic ‘works’ which mean something.  How about the ‘Gladdies’ which represent Melbourne and which were present when Hamer Hall was reopened?   How about ‘Othelia’ by Deborah Halpern adorning the other water feature.  Wow!!  Dynamic, meaningful and using the drab building as a backdrop for something special.  Proper lighting would be crucial from underwater maelstroms to narrow spots on key features.  Not hard either.

This is just the start and would say something to the world about NGV.

Cost?  Bugger all!

Excitement?  Max!

10 minutes with Brian

 

Not what you think.  

Brian is a compendium of life’s stuff.  A zipped leather folder containing a pad,  a  whole bunch of loose notes as well as glasses, pens, a mouth organ and a straw.  He holds an evolving list of future possibilities, hopes, dreams and plans to fulfill those dreams.  A cathartic list of ‘stuff’ focusing on the future.  Not a diary of the past but a plan for the next bit of life.

Every night I come home and spend ‘face time’ with Brian deleting the days completed triumphs with a heartfelt cancelling line, organising what’s left to do and adding new stuff.

And, this is all before I ‘doodle’!  Usually spatial design but also articles for publication about anything which I see as important [see nothappyjon.blogspot.com]. 

Brian clears the mind by knowing I have thought through commitments, ticked off on accomplishments and planned the future as well as allowing time and brain space for more esoteric  pursuits glimmered up through some part of my addled conscience.

I know what’s important AND how to make it happen.  The straw is for humming through to exercise the voice box folds.  A bit weird but focuses the mind.  Don’t ask about the mouth organ.

Key is focusing on the future not regurgitating and/or reliving the past.

When Brian and I have finished for the evening he gets zippered up to preserve all those hopes, targets and plans.  As a matter of fact he is open right now next to me with 27 entries reminding me of what I have / want to achieve.

Lastly, he is tactile because he is paper and in my hand writing and cathartic and not deleteable without trace as a computer allows.  I know when I have succeeded and when I have mucked up.  No ‘cancel culture’ here.

Everyone needs a ‘Brian’.

RUSSIA'S INVASION, THAT 'ONE MAN' AND ARMAGEDDON

 

RUSSIA HAS LOST IN THEIR UNLAWFUL INVASION – SO FAR TO 20/7/22 ...

  DEAD

    Circa 39,970 military personnel,

  EQUIPMENT DESTROYED

    1,737 tanks,

    880 artillery systems,

    258 self-propelled rocket launchers

    222 aircraft,

    189 helicopters,

    117 air defence systems,

    2,835 vehicles and fuel tanks,

    15 ships,

    722 drones,

    174 cruise missiles have been shot down.

AND NOW ‘HIMARS’ ARE FURTHER INCREASING THE TOLL ON RUSSIANS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT

 

THIS IS INSANITY.

 

MEANWHILE THE TALKING HEADS STILL TALK AND TALK AND TALK

Apart from the carnage on both sides and the massive loss of funds through military spending and world sanctions, Russia has managed to alienate itself from that world and is now seen as a failed pariah state – again.  Indeed, the so called ‘Kremlin’ jails dissenters whilst ignoring failing social networks such as ‘food’ for its people. 

Does one man take responsibility for say 60,000 lives lost?  Is it one man or do the Russian people back this unlawful invasion?  An invasion to restore the USSR to its somewhat misplaced former glory.

Obviously insanity prevails and the big question remains ..  ‘Will that one man unleash armageddon?’ Looking at what’s happening at the moment with that one man seemingly accepting the invasion ‘toll’ as appropriate, that level of insanity may just be enough to tip him into unforced retaliation with nuclear weapons – just to save face!

Remember ‘Somme’ where a million died for a few kilometres of dirt.  Those commanders also had a low opinion of life, respect and integrity being lost in a blood fog of stupidity with only one thought – kill.  Both sides suffered huge losses on the fields.  Driving through there today there is no hint of the carnage albeit it’s as spooky as hell.

As Russia is attempting to level Ukraine making it uninhabitable whilst killing civilians and destroying their social infrastructure logically they also cannot be seeking anything else but ‘kill’. 

That one man is now just starting to target Jewish people in Russia whilst trying to topple a Jewish president from Ukraine.  Seems clear that the real issue for that one man is anti-Semitism – again!

You can’t reason with that one man who has a singular focus to kill, whatever the cost.

THERE IS A GOD AND S/HE DRIVES A CLASSIC CAR

I lifted this out of a UK study  ...  the inconvenient facts!!

“ In the UK a classic car on average is driven 1,200 miles a year and puts out 563 kg of CO2 as a result. But a new VW Golf is made by generating 6.8 tonnes of CO2e. Even worse, a Polestar 2 (a Swedish electric car) generates 26 tonnes of CO2 during the manufacturing process. That means you could drive your classic car for over 46 years before it generates as much CO2 as the “green” electric vehicle. Let that sink in for a moment.

Further, the study rightly points out that within that 46-year period, the Polestar 2’s battery will need to be replaced, maybe even swapped for a new one twice or more. And what happens to the battery? Can it really be recycled? The answer for now is no. Meanwhile, the classic car keeps running without contributing significantly to a landfill.”

My 20 year old money pit, Otto the CL600, is alive and well albeit with ongoing defects which only goes to his personality.  Bit like us all really.

One person’s view of the Andrews disaster with suggestions for change

Dear Liberals et alia,

Megalomaniac morons lack the neurons for rational thought but are good at being serious and attracting the brain vapid or those that prefer the nose ring approach to life commonly referred to as ‘the rusted on voter’.  These are dangerous people who, instead of applying rational thought, follow anyone holding the nose ring rope because resisting hurts – nose or brain.  Look at North Korea where the population marches in lock step to starvation or Russia where resistive thought can mean prison or China where disagreement with the CCP means disappearance.

You need to convince those of the ‘open mouthed ring persuasion’ that they should think about not voting for the moron because to do so would label them ‘vapid followers of moron’.  Not good.  Do this quietly whilst speaking in unarguable logic – premise premise conclusion.

A message -for example ... 

‘The Liberal party of Victoria will be the next Government because we seek support from  the thinkers from all sides but only those who actually care about our state and ask them to vote for whom they consider to be the best at creating the way forward’ – the thinking swinging voter." 

"It’s the centrists among us who care about change, will shift allegiance on rational thought,  care about our future and think through issues without the blinkered non-thinking approach of the ‘rusted on’ voter.  We seek intelligent debate without the tirade and pontificating obfuscation."

"Sometimes the facts are so plain that there can be no debate.  For example – ‘John Holland is a Chinese Company [China Communications Construction] and was given the billion dollar contract to build our infrastructure by labor all the while China was and is trying to ruin our economy through trade sanctions."

"It seems the CCP is holding the nose ring rope on Labor.  Why else would anything as obvious as this be acceptable to any clear thinker who can see through the moronic stupidity.  Kowtowing and indeed supporting a regime which ignores international law [South China Sea], ignores major agreements [Hong Kong]and takes over others sovereignty by persuasive force [Solomon] is tantamount to sedition.  It’s the same regime who has built ghost cities just to prop up an economy through ‘look at me look at me’ diplomacy."

"They just love the nose-ring lot because they know there will be no actual thought or resistance!  The labor party and their rusted on nose ring people are the CCP’s best friends."

You need to instill in those people a sense of panic enough for them to think about issues and jump on board to our shared and governed future.

 Regards,

Jon Langevad [MBA et alia]

Cure for tinted windows

 The FOMO set has grown up.

Car makers today are well aware that the current crop of car owners grew up attached to some sort of device whilst trying to ignore the real world.  These are the kids who sat in the back seat refusing to look out at the magic passing by whilst hiding inside a small screen or plugged into headphones.  They rejected the world and missed childhood.

Now those same people insist on the isolation shell through massively tinted windows so they can hide from that same real world but with even bigger on-board screens that actively control their lives.  They can’t see out of their cars properly especially at night so cameras are necessary to guide say their parking and they daren’t open a window lest someone sees them.  Sunroof, not a chance as it lets light in and others may be able to see.  A retreat into self.

Sad because life is diminished.

Cure?

Rent an old manual roof, no gadgets convertible sports car with perhaps just a tonneau cover and NEVER put up the roof.  Enjoy motoring with wind, fog, rain, heat, cold and indeed smell.  Drive up a mountain and feel the temperature change every hundred metres all the while smelling the eucalypts and ingesting the surroundings.  No radio, no TV, no phone, no nothing.  Revel in the world!  It’s a fantastic place, enjoy it without props.

Now go back to the tinted isolation shell and feel the difference!

TINTED WINDOWS / REVERSE PARKING / DEVICE MANIA / FOMO

 

I must have my stupid shoes on because I cannot understand new trends in cars arising from and  leading to what can only be described as ‘moronity’ by a select group of people.

There seems to be a whole generation of kids who grew up on the back seats of their parents cars refusing to be a part of a passing cascade of interesting things on the ‘Sunday drive’ whilst preferring to be attached to any electronic device and ignoring the real world.

These introverted kids have grown up with electronic doohickies ruling their life.  They don’t want to be out of their small comfort zone and don’t want others to see them because that’s what introverts do.  This is FOMO smart phone access leading to car phones / screens gone berserk.  Indeed we nearly killed a circa 12 year old kid on St Kilda road who jumped off a tram stop with his eyes buried on his phone and just didn’t realise he had walked into traffic.  My instant loud horn saved his life because I could not have stopped. Scary.

Car makers know this trend and tailor cars to suit so they can sell more cars.  Particularly with huge ‘information’ screens, external cameras and tinted windows.  Now, people can escape within their own FOMO cocoon and ignore the passing world in anonymity.  Sad.  Some cars travelling at night are so bright inside from various ‘screens’ that they should not be on the road. 

Now, add on to this conundrum an endemic tendency to have all windows so ‘tinted’ it restrict s any proper visibility.  Some cars are so illegally tinted in the windscreen that you can’t even tell if there is a driver.  Introverts all.  They have gone back to being kids in the back seat playing on their ‘device’ ignoring the world.  Now these same strange people need multiple external cameras so they can actually see or do anything including parking.  Cameras help the ‘tinted’ morons who can’t drive.

Further, those same morons reverse park in situations which confirm stupidity beyond belief.  Take South Melbourne market where the morons go shopping to bring back bunches of stuff to their reversed parked car only to realize that can’t access the tailgate / boot because they have reversed parked.  This is so stupid it’s beyond belief.  Driving forward into a 90 degree car park is simple and doesn’t hold up the traffic whilst allowing easy access to the boot.  Reversing out also does not hold up traffic because you wait for a gap.  But reversing in does hold up traffic and you still cannot access the boot.  Did I say stupid?  We have seen the really stupid even reverse park into 60 degree bays designed for front in parking ‘only’ and they end up facing oncoming traffic.

This trend is driven by no actual visibility through tinted screens necessitating external cameras allowing electronic visibility from one of the many internal screens. 

I drive a 20 year old money pit which has parking sensors but no cameras and a low dash mounted screen which allows sat nav, radio, CD and once-was analogue TV.  There is no tinting except for the top 10% of the windscreen hence we enjoy looking out seeing the passing world.  We don’t mind people looking in, it doesn’t threaten us as we are not introverts.  How can people go for a ‘Sunday Drive’ locked into a cocoon?  This is not life but typifies the back seat kids on their devices growing up only to transfer that ‘screen desire & FOMO’ to their cars.

Sad.

It’s sad because these dysfunctional trends are endemic and curtail life.

Is there a solution?  Yes!!

Firstly, if it was up to me I would make all ‘tinted’ drivers hire an old pre any electronic  gizmo convertible for a day with the roof dropped just to make them realise there is a great world out there to enjoy – every second.  My wife drives a 1988 Mazda MX5 and in which it’s berserkly fun to drive and enjoy life.

Secondly, enforce the law on tinted windows even changing same to stop inappropriate side and rear tints.  In this way people get to look out and enjoy ‘stuff’. 

Thirdly ban all reverse parking excepting curb side parallel parking.

Fourthly, force car manufacturers to limit screen brightness.

Simple but still needs an attitude adjustment.

Open letter to Josh Frydenberg re security

 Good morning,

There is nothing more important than our security.

The talking heads flap the trite whilst nothing actually happens.

Think Hitler on September 1 1939 or how about Putin a few weeks ago.  Both surprise invasions whilst the talking heads, talked.

The world is changing and we need to cement relationships else fall victim to some autocratic ‘big guns’ regime.

Recognise that the cold war mentality is happening despite most people’s best efforts.

That war is happening in the form of cyber attacks and economic coercion but the ‘west’ is fighting back.

But, this doesn’t stop the despots from blatant invasion or developing weapons which with one missile can level a country the size of France or cause a radioactive tidal wave to ‘sink’ the UK and a good chunk of Europe.

A charming reality driven by fools. 

If one does not have a deterrent then one is vulnerable.  This is a no brainer.  Indeed, the CCP has said at the National Press Club that they will drop a nuclear bomb on Australia if we go nuclear power.

We are vulnerable.

Australia as a big country does not have the weaponry to combat anything.  Sad but true.

But, we do have friends with big guns – not just supplicants or clients as does the CCP or the Kremlin.

The solution is obvious.

What we have is space and space in which to work with our friends to maintain a ‘military’ cold war barrier.  Not economic but military to protect the Pacific and all who dwell thereon.

Promote all that is economic but don the armour.

Invite our ‘friends’ to work with us in Northern Australia in ‘war games’ where each friend has a permanent foothold with people and ‘ALL’ equipment in multiple locations.

The message is obvious in that we as a consortium are strong and willing to defend the rights of our peoples against all threats at a critical global location.

Imagine say 10 countries with say 5,000 personnel each training as a cooperative to challenge any perceived future threat.

Ships, tanks, planes, weaponry, bombs et alia all located in Australia's sovereign territory and training together as a force.

Cost?  Significant.  But the alternative is unthinkable, just look at Ukraine, the devastation in infrastructure and the millions displaced.

Recognise the fact that there is a cold war at the moment and one that has a potential to be far more threatening.

Don’t fall into the talking heads syndrome!!

There is a line from a great movie  ‘Field of dreams’ – ‘if you build it they will come’.  If we build the strategic global dream they will come.

I am hoping that you are not grounded in talking head minutia [block people] as are most politicians but are a jigsaw [strategic] thinker and capable of dragging all the various jigsaw pieces into a coherent whole.

Australia is at risk but also has within its grasp a fantastic opportunity.

UBER

Introduction ...

The world of business survives on a simple concept of supply and demand in that the charge for supply can vary based on how many people want that supply.  However, this is regulated to stop price gouging, greed, extortion, fraud, misrepresentation and like unlawful actions by specific verbal or written contractual obligations on concluded agreements protecting the so-called weaker party.  Not all is fair in business.

In simple terms, both parties must agree to any transaction for it to be legal otherwise anyone could bill anyone and expect payment with no recourse.

A seller has little obligation to supply at a price other than when advertised at a certain price which leaves a vast grey area when the price is advertised as a variable based on demand.  

Enter ‘surge’ pricing from UBER.  UBER says that their surge pricing is designed to get more drivers into areas of high demand thereby supporting those wanting to travel.  On a prima facie test this would seem logical in that drivers would flock to ‘surge priced’ demand locations thereby increasing their revenue and basic supply.  But this would also reduce supply from other areas as demand goes unmet resulting in those areas also suffering surge pricing because demand exceeded supply and Uber’s algorithm kicked in.  A vicious circle not benefiting customers in any way shape or form but hugely benefitting Uber and their drivers.  Surge pricing just follows demand.  Uber obviously target demand areas and automatically add surge pricing which creates further areas of demand because supply has left to chase the first area.  A ‘self inflating’ cycle.

Imagine if this surge concept applied to the average supermarket ... “Sorry Madam but your bill was for $23 but because there was a queue of 4 people waiting to pay there will be a surge charge of 4 leaving you a bill of $92 but as we already have your credit card on file it was automatically deducted.  Have a nice day”... If Madam had accepted this surge in full and absolute knowledge before the event then she was accepting paying $92 for a $23 bill.  But if the surge is not known or accepted before the event then it’s unlawful. 

However, law surrounding extortion, fraud, blackmail, price gouging, deception and misrepresentation can mitigate Madam’s problem.  Is it extortion to charge 4 times a normal price when demand is high or is it just normal business practice?  I suspect the latter albeit we all have a choice not to shop at that supermarket or ride with Uber as companies extorting clients [extortion - a demand without a reasonable cause with an intent to gain a benefit]. There is a difference between demand pricing and fee gouging and a huge difference to charging after the fact without consent.

 

Case study ...

In our case, we accepted a confirmed charge of $115.32 as a concluded agreement by phone app despite Uber’s surge pricing of 3.9 because we had little choice.  Uber’s algorithm had calculated the fare based on known traffic conditions.  Pay 4 times the fare or walk!

What we didn’t expect was a further loading of 50% with a charge of $57.55 deducted from the credit card without our knowledge or consent.  We had not accepted this further charge.

This final fee was a clear misrepresentation of our already concluded agreement.  It was and is tantamount to fraud.  Intentional theft of funds without consent.

Conclusion ...

Before travelling with Uber make sure you know what is being charged and make sure it is accepted as a concluded agreement and don’t accept ‘after the fact’ charges.  Better, support normal taxi drivers.

BACKING INTO ANGLED PARKING SPOTS & TINTED WINDOWS ..

 

There is a dysfunctional change to the way people angle park and it’s moronic.  As an example of this stupidity, at South Melbourne market people go to great lengths to back into a 90 degree angled parking spot seemingly oblivious to the fact that their boot/tailgate, where they will put their purchasers, is now blocked by the very fact they backed in. If they had driven in forwards like a normal human being they would have had easy access.  At South Melbourne market we have seen idiots carrying shopping, kids, strollers and all manner of junk squeezing past cars parked either side just to get to their tailgate which they can’t access anyway.  We have also seen the same morons use the bonnet of the car next to their tailgate as a platform until they shift their car forward a metre  into the traffic so as to load up.  There is another entirely logical reason to nose into an angled parking spot in that by parking nose in you do not disrupt the passing traffic as in parallel parking.  By backing in to an angled park you expect all traffic to stop just so you can back in.  This sense of entitlement and ‘me me me’ beggars belief.  Indeed we have seen people reverse park even in a 45 degree angle park which makes zero sense and they are facing the wrong direction on exit.  This backing into angled parking spots is moronic and I suspect driven by the proliferation of reverse cameras enabling the moron to pretend they self shine.

People need to be aware that backing into everything is not normal behaviour.  May I suggest that a touch of clear thinking will override self entitlement.

Please, nose into angled parking spots like a normal human being!!

There may be another reason why people use their reversing cameras with such moronic regularity.  Watch drivers doing strange things and I will back it in they have every window in their cars, including the windscreen, so heavily tinted they can’t actually see outside with enough clarity to park or indeed safely drive anywhere.  Yesterday we ate lunch at a cafe on Church Street in Brighton enjoying a table outside where we had a plain view of passing traffic.  In roughly 40% of cars you could not see the driver through any window let alone through the windscreen.  How these people see anything at night is a mystery but does explain the necessity for parking cameras.  In our daily commute we see drivers veering, swerving and ignoring other cars and in nearly all cases the morons have heavily tinted windows.  Obviously, there are good drivers with tinted windows but, it seems that a good percentage of bad drivers have tinted windows – they just can’t see out.  

Personally, we like to look out and enjoy the world with as clear a vision as we can get.  The world is a fantastic place to be treasured and not to be hidden behind tinting.  Drive with the windows down, let the wind flow through, turn the radio off and soak in life.  Please.

Space junk and green spider men living under our flat earth

 

We have over 7,000 satellites orbiting the earth with lots more lobbed into space each year which means there are multiple redundancies and ‘space junk’ to deal with.

The Russians tried to deal with one such ‘bit’ a little while ago but just managed to make lots of littler bits which are still orbiting.  Whoops.  Perhaps high tech laser destruction is not destructive enough?

We need an incinerator to permanently destroy all unwanted ‘bits’.  Fortunately we have one.  It’s that big warm thing in the middle of our spot in the galaxy.

Therefore the issue is getting unwanted bits to seek their own doom.  Fortunately it requires relatively very little energy to propel stuff  once free of earth’s gravity.

All we need to do is provide some sort of impetus to a bunch of suicidal junk.

Solution ...  We deploy rather large space platforms which catch junk and places same in a net to be hurtled by slingshot  [thank you Archimedes for the idea] toward the sun whereupon its consumed.  Doesn’t have to be huge, just enough to break free of earths gravity on a true trajectory to doom.

No expendables [old truck inner tubes], cheap, effective and could be turned into an Olympic sport.  Nations competing to lob their bits onto a virtual target displayed on the sun.  Wahoo!!  Nations could earn brownie points.

Problem is that if we miss, the junk missile may slingshot around the sun and come back at us initiating Armageddon. Perhaps not a great idea.  Worse, our junk hits the spider people world in the next galaxy and they retaliate with a web of steel encircling the earth as they pick us off for lunch.

Armageddon, arachnoid snacks – rethink.

How about catching the junk and dropping it back to earth in the middle of an unpopulated desert whereupon all  bits are recycled into metal hairpieces, being the new helmet protecting us from Covid nano probes unleashed by the dreaded spider men.

After all, we all know arachnoid city is driven by Covid furnaces and that they planted Covid on earth to further their evil 8 legged plans. [add Boris Karloff laugh]

This could also be an Olympic sport where countries compete to lob their junk onto a virtual target.  Sort of like archery, but not.  Penalties would include loss of your super yacht for a week if you hit a city, per se.  Say 1,000 dead for a week’s loss of ocean privileges. Sounds fair.

Strict rules would need to apply as some nations would deliberately drop their junk on a neighbouring country as a prelude to invasion – ‘Sorry about the carnage but we can help by taking over your government through a small invasion and annexing your impoverished lot to us.  Simple!’

That penalty would be two weeks without your super yacht!  

Now, we all know the earth is flat with satellites just tootling around in circles.  The big penalty of four weeks without your super yacht would be to release pictures or text or words which dispute that flat earth reality. After all, the worlds despots have spent millions denying history such as Tiananmen Square massacre or Russia’s current invasion or Nth Koreas military expansion hiding a frog march to starvation.  Their investment in brain washing through a cancel culture needs to be protected.  To cement that reality we all know that the spider men live underneath the earth in secret bases delving out Covid to unsuspecting flat earthers.  Don’t want to upset them do we?

A problem of Dickensian magnitude!

Personally the slingshot has visual appeal as would a ‘thripenny’ bunger strategically placed in an orifice used as a launch tool [think Slim Pickens in Dr Strangelove].  After all the same bunger used to demolish letter boxes in the 1950/60’s.  Simple and immense fun [thank you Gelignite Jack for the memories].  As a matter of fact we could solve the bad people problem at the same time with each provided with their own Dr Strangelove experience!

Ah the joy of having too much time on your hands, waxing lyrical about stuff then burdening others with erratic and errant thoughts.  So much fun.

 

RUNNING OUR COUNTRY

I read the complete weekend Australian this morning [as I do every week for the quality of its journalism and longish articles] – a great balanced view from all sides.  In that was listed all the good things the Lib’s achieved in SA even during a Pandemic which they handled well.  Still, gone, which makes zero sense but people get what they voted for.  Take Victoria for example – Andrews was responsible for the deaths of some 800 people, has been proven to lie and misuse funds and his labor executive all suffered convenient loss of memory about who ticked off on $30m to fund private security.  Yet he still retains some degree of popularity whilst trying to wrongly blame Morrison for his failures.  Go figure – the absolute ‘blame’ stupidity is gob smacking.  Palaszczuk just this week has been shown to be somewhat loose with the facts and WA has damn near ruined its tourist hub for zero reason as covid has arrived anyway and NT leased its port to the Chinese, a move resembling insanity.  Morrison has the spine of a worm destroying his elected representatives lives virtually convicting without evidence [i.e Attorney General] by demoting lest the public disagree and Albanese is seen as the worst possible choice for a person to ‘lead’ our country.  Now we see female Labor senators acting like schoolyard tyrants linked to death and we watch political ‘adults’ from all sides behaving like bellicose 10 year olds.  We have to deal with similar traits in Putin and Xi Ping and they are supposedly world leaders with the red button at their ‘sole’ command.  They continually lie, ignore facts and threaten – in loud offensive voices.  Trying to erase history is but one little example of gross stupidity and the poor little oligarchs suffer through losing their boats.  A crying shame, that.

Along with a few million others, I voted for Hawke and Keating because they were right at the time and their list of ‘liberal’ achievements was and is significant as was their ability to lead and have ALL of us follow.  Which brings us to today and choices.

The world is entering a new phase and we need people who can lead.  There is no side of politics which is 100% up to the job therefore we need to pick from what’s available.  The federal labor party is full of back biting children determined to be talking heads but without substance led by a vitriolic waste of space without an original thought other than to try and denigrate.  Yet, take SA, where that behaviour worked to win but then one has to actually do something when in office.  We will see.  There is a litany of leadership failures headed by McMahon, Whitlam and Fraser.  All sides respected Howard, Keating and Hawke over many years as they disrespected Turnbull and Rudd.  Not many good guys around me thinks.

So where do we sit.  We lost our best hope for an Australian PM respected around the world and by all people and all political parties.  Short of convincing Julie to return we have Morrison who has lots of runs on board and proven ability to act as he did when closing the borders supported by Dutton and Friedenberg just to name 3.  On the other side we have Albanese with zero runs and a team of vitriolic bumsters who only know hate speech.  I think I made it clear that I am not overly fond of Morrison or Dutton or to a lesser extent in Friedenberg for various reasons but as a team taking us through what could be a change in world order, there is no choice.  Liking or not liking is irrelevant, it’s respect that’s important.

Unless we get Julie to return or the ghost of Billy Graham pops in we have Morrison and his party as the ONLY choice.  Anything else is just too dangerous.

So there!

A SPINE FOR AUSTRALIA

It seems that the world hasn’t learned any lessons from history.  In essence, people don’t change or at least the ego driven despot / meglamanics don’t.  They pursue ‘whatever’ it takes to stay in power and expand their self universe ignoring normal people who just bend and break.  Yet, the useless talking heads, continue to just talk.

On the 1st of September 1939 one meglamanic despot invaded Poland.  The talking heads were talking and the world hid their collective heads in the sand.  Millions died.  Good result, eh?

Move forward 80 years and the world is once again refusing to consider that we have at least two or three despots who are summarily bent on killing millions to bolster their own egos.  Let me repeat, millions dead for no reason and we do nothing because we as a collective don’t want to believe that such existential threats exist. ‘She’ll be right mate [said with a big smile and brain off], what do I care, that’s in some place called Europe – ha ha’.

To quote philosopher John Stuart Mill, who delivered an 1867 inaugural address at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, “Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. He is not a good man who, without a protest, allows wrong to be committed in his name, and with the means which he helps to supply, because he will not trouble himself to use his mind on the subject.”   Wow! And that was 1867 which proves we have learnt zip.

With one idiot, Putin, destroying Russia including its reputation by his brain dead ego driven actions destroying the lives of millions of innocent people, the useless talking heads, talk, and continue to talk.  Look at me look at me, I am talking.  Dare to object inside Russia or China or Nth Korea and you will be silenced as dissent from ‘the presidential ego’ is not acceptable.  What does that one fact tell the universe?  How about lack of reason, lack of humanity, lack of intelligence, lack of maturity, lack of consultation and lack of empathy where respect is subjugated to personal ego.  People suffer and die driven by bellicosity.  Think the battle of Somme in 1916 where a million died over a few miles of dirt.

Yet, the talking heads just continue to talk.

What to do? 

How about conscripting Julie Bishop back to parliament as PM to work with equals Peter Dutton and Josh Frydenberg to lead Australia toward developing a spine.  Power through international respect for foreign affairs expertise, political savvy and individual strength.

How about, making the NT an Australian multi location and multi nation hub for democratic ‘world peace games’ [eg – Aus, USA, Israel, NATO, UK, France, et alia]. A combined military at crucial global location/s working together as a force for peace and world order.  Say 200,000 troops with ALL associated hardware and weaponised software – launch ready – led by that same multi nation group and not by an individual despot.  This would not be a war footing but merely essential training of a deterrent ‘world’ force driven by respect and law.

No going it alone for anyone but not just talking – doing – ready to cripple aggressive behavior by any country which disrespects others sovereignty, territory or human rights.

Nuclear proliferation was supposed to make all aggressors think twice about self annihilation but that only works if all parties are free of ego driven despots, all parties are similarly armed and all parties show a spine!

Then we can live in peace away from threats and power grabs.  Back to economic competition through and by a rules based system protecting everyone’s rights.  Prosperity for all and respect as a God given right for all.

ACLAND STREET ST KILDA

 

‘AN OPEN LETTER’

Congratulations Port Phillip City Council because you have managed to remove the heart and soul from Acland Street St Kilda as an ‘international go to tourist spot’.  You have turned it into a dead tram stop now inhabited by the socially disadvantaged day and night. 

Shops are closed, banks are gone and the disenfranchised treat the area as place to just sit.   Old men without shirts wander aimlessly looking for cigarette butts on the ground, younger more aggressive people seek cash and the homeless just sit with an empty hat in front of them seeking anything.

There is no life left in Acland street!  It’s gone from a bustling character filled international go-to destination to a bland suburban tram stop now inhabited by a disadvantaged social group.

Whoever made the decision to destroy Acland Street should be paying all shop owners for their losses and compensate Melbourne for gross stupidity.  No real consultation with any key groups and no reason to add two tram super-stops just metres away from existing stops outside Acland Street near Luna Park.     Lunacy!

Is there a solution?  Who knows after the damage has been done.  But ...

Bring in big street art, mass painting classes, family attractions, security, gated, events, MSO, moving sculpture on now disused tram tracks, walk through W class trams as changing exhibition museums, giant gladiolas [think Hamer Hall opening], whacky art on porticos, no smoking, variety of shops, buskers, no booze except in restaurants, a giant sculptural waterfall  – fun with stuff to see!!

This would be a perfect foil for Luna Park and cement Luna Park precinct as a go to must see area.

Cost?  Nothing compared to what traders have lost due to the council operating above its pay scale whilst destroying a legend.

I have a problem.

Tibetan proverb  -  “Goodness speaks in a whisper, evil shouts” [in this case, shout through voice, intent or action]

I am confused and indeed taken aback by the lack of rationale from the CCP [Chinese Communist Party], its rhetoric and its self propagated rise to global stardom.  Friends, enemies, dominators, clients or supplicants?  We, as mere mortals, need to understand what’s actually going on, preferably prior to a nuclear attack. 

We see that the Chinese people are freezing through a lack of coal whilst a million tons of Australian coal the CCP impounded remained in bonded warehouses.  Now, they have been forced to use our coal - after a year of spurious trade bans.  This ‘bonding’ was reported as a ‘payback’ by the CCP for Australia cementing our sovereignty.  Payback at the expense of the Chinese people.  Indeed, the CCP after all that wanted to join an international trade pact despite belligerently trying to send some of those same members broke.   How about occupying and militarising international waters attempting to stop free trade and menacing neighbouring countries with claims of sovereignty and brandishing fear of war whilst pumping out military hardware including nuclear submarines?  Further, how about rampant claims of sovereignty on the India / China border with military build up and, deaths?

I watched spokespeople for the CCP and despair at their ‘toddler shouty rhetoric’. How about threatening us with a nuclear strike [Victor Gao] if we have the temerity to seek our own national defence through nuclear submarines even without nuclear weapons.  Maybe I am completely stupid but that threat is so out of line it’s below juvenile.  Since when did shouty people threaten and dictate to other sovereign nations?  Obviously, Stalin, Hitler and now Gao as a spokesperson for Xi Jinping and the CCP.

We as a global community have spent the last 70 or so years after WW2 trying to work together for everyone’s benefit yet we still see stupidity like Hamas lobbing thousands of rockets at Israel and expecting no retaliation or the Taliban disenfranchising women and starving ‘their’ citizen responsibility or the CCP puffing war rhetoric or North Korea spouting similar very shouty look at me rhetoric while marching in lock step to starvation.

All of this is disrespectful, of little intelligence and demeaning for the perpetrators. 

Perhaps I am the one missing the fact that a Neanderthal lack of thinking is starting to suppress intelligence?  Where is the logic, the rationale, the thought?   Where is respect?  Where is the desire to live ‘with’ people rather than dominate?  Where are the whisperers?

Remember every world leader wanted to be Hitler’s friend because he was resurrecting Germany in his own inimitable shouty way.  Then he invaded Poland on September 1st 1939!  Whoops.

Our ex prime minister Tony Abbott recently wrote that the CCP has no friends just supplicants and clients.  This includes Australia unless we pull our rhetoric finger out and adjust diplomacy to reflect reality.  The CCP heaped childish and grossly defamatory personal shouty abuse on Abbott for him daring to state known facts about the CCP.  ‘Infantile shoot-the-messenger responses.’  This is interesting in that it was Abbott who praised China a few years ago.  Something has changed and that something seems to be Xi Jinping.  When one person believes they are ‘chosen’ and, by political manipulation, control the armed forces as well as making claim to land of other sovereign nations  and treats his people as supplicants all the while demanding shouty loyalty, the force of truth is subjugated.  Power is a narcotic.

Remember the CCP and the Chinese people are different.  One controls whilst the other are supplicants albeit with some degree of national fervour, forced or otherwise.    As an example of control, the CCP has tried to change history by removing all mention of the Tiananmen Square massacre and refuse to admit it happened despite irrefutable global evidence.  You cannot change history with a head in the sand approach no matter how damning it is.  When Victor Gao [CCP] threatened Australia with a nuclear strike on Stan Grant’s interview we all had a jaw dropping gob smacking moment.  Apparently we have sacrificed our nuclear free status by harnessing nuclear power to drive a few submarines without nuclear weapons.  This must make the rest of the world with nuclear power quake, let alone nuclear weapons.  France, with its proliferation of nuclear power stations and weapons must be in absolute terror as Gao intimated they will be a target.  China has 12 nuclear subs of which 6 are armed with ballistic missiles and presumably nuclear warhead capable.  Maybe Australia’s one reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney will force the CCP to drop a nuclear bomb on Sydney?

I must have my stupid shoes on because I find this shouty rhetoric disarming to say the least.  Match political fervour and access to the red button and .....  BANG.  This is happening right now.  Shouty people have already lost the discussion / debate but seek to dominate with closed mind through and by a vocal and physical overbearing trying to block intelligent response.  Remember shouty Hitler and the brown shirts!  A closed mind and the red button.  OOPS! 

For some, power is intoxicating and never to be lost. 

So what?

Gao threatening Australia with a nuclear strike may be posturing and definitely ill chosen rhetoric from a closed mind or it may portend something more serious. He also said Australia doesn’t need to know where this strike will come from.   Either way Gao epitomises CCP shouty juvenile rhetoric but with huge military backing.

Keeping the peace is not one countries responsibility.  The USA has done a fantastic job as a democracy tilting world order in favour of peace but to assume that will continue is naïve.   ANZUS [1951], QUAD [2007 / 2017]and a number of other partnerships between ‘friends’ support each other to be safe and prosper in the face of dysfunctional ‘attacks’ whether they be cyber, trade, military, race persecution or whatever.

 

Whose problem is it?

Indeed, it’s obvious the CCP are floundering.  Like a physically large young child aware of their intimidating ability but not aware enough to act any other way except physically.  The CCP are clearly demonstrating a position of weakness through and by shouty rhetoric apparently designed to obfuscate and intimidate.  Unfortunately for them shouty does not cut it with adults, adults for whom clear thinking is a way of life.

The CCP loudly abuse and grossly insult anyone or any country that does not agree with them seemingly with no fear of retribution.  Indeed, Xi Jinping is acting like a state sponsored keyboard troll except he is front and centre albeit in the exact knowledge he alone controls the PLA as a self elected demi-god.

The issue is that the free world has let the CCP grow in strength based on cheap Chinese products whereupon they continue to build and command military might and from that position of perceived power feel free to threaten other countries, for example Taiwan and Australia, with nuclear attack, invasion, death, destruction and a reversion of democracy to the CCP ideal.

How did this happen?  Simple, we all sat back and assumed no one in their right mind would invade a sovereign nation such as Taiwan in our modern world.  Think back to Poland.

This is a world issue and one that will not just go away by itself.   The conundrum is that we cannot interfere in the workings of another sovereign nation as it’s none of our business.  And, if we did, we would be guilty of the same crime.  The exception being if the actions of that nation threaten international law and/or another sovereign nation.  A BIG decision but a decision which must be made by a whole gaggle of very smart people capable of rational thought having all the actual facts at hand.  No fake news and no ‘go it alone’ because it’s a world issue!

In this regard, sanctions are good but they tend to affect the ordinary people rather than the guilty ruling class or those with the armed forces at their beckoning.  For example, North Korea is in locked step to starvation as is China.

Desperation actions by leaders in a failing state tend to get more and more shouty trying to convince the masses to believe in them.  Lots of parades, grand displays and military might trying to persuade those masses that they ‘belong’ to a grand future, a future deemed ‘great’ by the ruling class whilst ignoring proletariat personal freedoms and indeed even food.  Keep the working classes in awe of greatness.

And sadly, it’s that greatness we all seem to want.  Look at the following Trump has but with equal lack of substance. 

The key is ‘respect’, respect which is not earned but a God given right.   The CCP shows no respect for anyone preferring to try and dominate by shouty intimidation and defamatory threats all of which are unfounded and juvenile.  A once proud culture now resorting to childish personal insults and sneaky cyber warfare through state sponsored keyboard juvenile trolls – it is very sad to see a once great empire devolve.  China has always sought respect as a way of life through millennia yet today that clear and honourable thinking has vanished under Xi Jinping replaced by look at me shouty war mongering.

You know, I once admired Xi for his ‘forward’ very long term thinking and his focus on strategic plans such as his belt and road.  A fantastic concept for China and other countries but brought down by hidden agendas and petty power grabs.  Yet, there is hope.  China has already proven they can dominate the supply of goods making the world dependant and have proven they are a world power and have proven they plan for the long term.  May I suggest, from a self confessed moron, that ‘war’ is a state of mind and does not have to be physical or fatal but can be construed as competitive advancement through intelligence, respect and harmony.  Golf is such is war.  A continual personal desire to get better whilst working within the rules, recognising that grass will always win and enjoying the company of fellow advocates who are also striving to get better.  In a world sense, each and every country challenges themselves to get better within the rules [WTO], accepting almost impossible challenges as a global citizen [e.g.  nett zero] and enjoying a camaraderie with other nations as we all strive to ‘beat the grass’.  Friendly but intense competition where respect wins. 

The big toddler, used to dominate through shouty size, grows up.  The question is, ‘how can we help that toddler join the real world as a whisperer?’ 

PROCESS, LAW, CONSEQUENCES

 

[An opinion from one somewhat picky cook]

A ‘process’ or procedure’ has little to do with the law itself other than to provide a ‘fair’ time and a vehicle / platform for defence and/or accusations and/or rebuttals. 

If that process follows and upholds the law then good but, the process is always secondary to the law itself.  This is a no-brainer.  The opposite being disquiet and even anarchy.

The whole point of ‘process’ is to enable and action the law and its intent from its written form.  Therefore deliberate deviations from that process must be deemed unlawful as they attempt to obfuscate or ignore the law.  The only defence could be that the law/process is duplicitous or unclear or subject to multiple interpretations.

Indeed, good procedures or processes are put in place to allow an orderly pathway from clear thinking to focused action and appropriate solutions.

In a recent decision by the Federal Circuit Court the judge seemed to allow a flawed process to obviate the law in that, the law was ignored because of deemed flaws in the process.  This was later overturned by the Federal Court as they ordered the law was to be followed despite a possibly flawed process.  In this case the law was clear but ignored by the first judge because the process was hijacked by people with a commercial agenda attempting to confuse the law through arguments that were proven irrelevant.  This makes the perpetrators guilty of trying to subvert justice.

This is where logic, deductive argument and clear thinking must rule.  Argument in tautologies is a good start providing the associated premises are proven valid.  Rogerian argument has no place as compromise has no place -  that is, unless the law itself is unclear or contradictory and there must be room for actions taken in ‘good faith’ or perhaps where actions are mitigated by circumstances of ‘no fault’ disenabling compliance then, intent being really important as a decider of appropriate punishment.

So, does this mean we are bound to uphold the law?  Absolutely!!  Nothing stopping us disagreeing and being vocal with our opinions attempting the change the law but, loud brain-dead disobedience is no rod for change!  Instead go with clear thinking emotion free tautological discussion [not mere Rogerian conversation] leading to appropriate laws which can be ‘processed’  through a procedure which is also clear and succinct and time efficient.

Take for example our laws on vaccine compliance for international visitors.  Simple, covid positive by test – no entry and no jabs – no entry.  However, there is mitigation by exemption based on being physically unable to be vaccinated [leading to quarantine and testing etc].  Note that there is no ongoing exemption for not having to get jabbed following a ‘serious’ bout of Covid as a condition to stay is to get jabbed after recovery and, quarantine still applies.  Those refusing vaccination on other grounds are excluded.  Simple and clear despite Tennis Australia and the Victoria State Government offering unlawful exemptions based on personal monetary agendas and ignoring the fact that they actually can’t offer those exemptions as only the Federal Government controls the borders.

In this case the ‘process’ failed because it allowed people to obfuscate through media by-line even though the law is clear [Federal Court].  As a matter of fact, letting into our country a sporting megastar et alia who refuses to be vaccinated when Victorians have been locked away is beyond stupid and needs to be addressed as deliberate attempts to subjugate the law.