Earth Hour

I have been doing Earth Hour ever since it started  and sometimes, during the year I do my own earth Hour and recruit others to do it at the same time. I figure every little bit helps, but, do you know, we always have a lovely evening when we have Earth Hour officially or unofficially? Candle light, when properly set up and supervised, is just brilliant.

I have just signed up for this year.

Earth Hour

Government Grants

"They have to show the Government evidence that they have put their money into factories, improving their processes and growing the business," the spokeswoman said. "They get the money on that basis."

Yes, true and the Government did that in good faith to ensure our jobs, our companies and our viability, so companies which take advantage of that need to have an obligation to take care of our workers and our future. It obviously will have to be built in to any agreement for funding. Our funds have to profit us because our funds are from us. We pay for these funds...in good faith. So it is not surprising unions and workers are angry and that unions and workers will air the view that they  , too , need to be taken care of. It serves us nothing to have icon brands move offshore. It serves us nothing to have our icon companies pulled to bits by people who are in it for the profit, shareholders and executives. So yes, it's a wake up call because our bushfires are are clear indication we need everyone on our side doing their bit because that is how we overcome adversity. It is how we shall manage this financial adversity. Our country has the process staring us right in the face . We have noticed.  We need to be as thorough in our approach to the financial burning as we are to the bush burning.

Executive Excess

"But he's taking options of up to $20 million, there is one rule for the general work force and another for senior executives in Telstra as well as unfortunately in many other companies in Australia."

This article highlights the thoughts on all of our minds today and I am thankful the media have grabbed hold of this trend in a number of companies and has been examining it very methodically. No scandalising...just getting to the facts, and by crikey, do the facts speak for themselves. We are all looking at companies moving off shore to cut costs, executives resigning with supreme financial gifts and workers who made all the profits being treated very shabbily indeed. Workers are useful while they do all the work which creates all the wealth and profits. So shareholders are pretty happy, CEOs are laughing all the way to the bank as they cheerily wave farewell to their jobs and then the employees are left high and dry and the company either can no longer trade here , it cannot keep on its workers or it loses the long established name it had here.Aussie icons are taking a real broadside. So if the executives were to make the same sacrifices as everyone else is asked to in the company, well, maybe the company would be more viable in Australia. The jobs are going to another country. One of the worst situations which we are experiencing is that companies are using our subsidies and grants to create wealth at the top and then they currently have no obligation to stay here in Australia or stay open. This whole matter needs to be thoroughly examined because it seems to be very much an executive win all round at the expense of common good and in this climate...no. Sorry, but no. We are all in the same boat here.

Boundaries

I am not sorry to hear the result of this but it doesn't say what is going to happen to the other three youths. You know, there comes a time when we just have to say, you cannot behave like that, we are not accepting it, there are no excuses. Then we have to say...if you are going to put a 13 year old girl through that kind of humiliation, pain, misery and vileness for hours AND film it...sorry, but you cannot live in our society. We do not want it. The law may well say these people have rights and maybe that is the job of the law, but I think we also have to say they have no rights once they are prepared to go to the lengths they did to harm and terrorise that girl. That could be your daughter. Your grand daughter. You don't want to think she is fair game . It's time to make our boundaries clear.

University readiness

If our attrition rate at first year Uni is about 18% but our capacity to complete degrees just above OECD average, then we just need to make some adjustments. There will be people who go to university who simply are not yet suited to independent learning. For some that might mean some kind of bridging course so that they adjust from school, work or home. For others it may mean they cannot adapt to the requirements of university and then they shouldn't be there. In SA we have only 5 years at high school and I would think that would make it hard for students to be at uni. They would need some extra time before they are ready. I think people go to uni and think it will be quite easy and then find out they have to rely on themselves and they are just not ready for it. It'll be interesting to find out the reasons. Cost will now become a factor, of course!

Job Losses

In Australia it is still far too easy to take your eye off the ball. If you tune into the global trends then job losses are everywhere. America has big job losses, France is creating new programmes and vetting processes to keep the unemployed employable and skilled. England has big job losses. All my rellies have written letters over Christmas to tell me how severe it is getting there. People just have to take what they can get. It was like that in the 60s. Financial markets, climate and world trends are major influences on employment. Somewhere in all of this we have to reshape and rebuild and we are not going to be able to unless we keep our eye on the ball and work together to create opportunities and new directions. Maybe consumerism is not the be all and end all in life. Maybe massive profits and exorbitant wages for some have broken us. The market was blown out and then up. This has been years in the making. There is no overnight fix. I believe we have the skills and capacity to deal with this and there is evidence in that we have managed the humongous burden of the bushfires and we have operated as a team to support and troubleshoot. Some people get the blame game out. It diverts and destroys at a time when we actually need to concentrate and pool our expertise and experience. There is also evidence in that some sectors are now investing in proper training and job specifications so that we remain skilled and competitive.Maybe we need more of us to go part time to create jobs. Maybe school students need to focus on their long term educational investment and free up those jobs for people who have children and mortgages. Maybe there are a lot of things we can do and maybe we do not need as much money as we think. We need jobs. We need a concerted effort and any attempt to turn this is to a blustery argument will not serve any useful purpose for those who wake up without a job tomorrow.

One size fits all?

They can take the textiles overseas. it will only add to the problem we have. you cannot get quality clothing here. you have to really look for it and we are mighty fed up with garments which do not fit and don't wash, are not cut properly and hang badly. We have had it with sizes because they are so random. Ditto shoes. You have to really look for well made shoes. If some of our well  known brands go overseas it is only going to add to a problem which we have had enough of out here. We used to have good clothes at a range of process. Now we can't find them. Synthetic is not that good in the heat! In the cold it doesn't do the job either. It'll create openings again for anyone who wants to make quality clothing that fits and suits our climate.

Best laid plans

I got up this morning and was greeted by news which actually made me laugh. We had the drunk who had crashed her car right outside the police station. 3 times the limit and straight into the hands of the police. Then there was the car which was supposed to be stolen but the older guy had locked himself in and couldn't get out and the young guy was in the bushes!!?? To cap it off, NASA did in its space cred by launching a satellite which was supposed to help us get more accurate and detailed data about climate change...and , minutes after launching, it crashed into the Antarctic...up she goes..oh, oops...plop! Not a good look and not very helpful at this point in time. Who said an error only becomes a mistake if you fail to correct it? Lots of oopsies this morning. Luckily my day sailed through, maybe because all the bad vibes had been used up.

Extreme Nerd Test

Yesterday's link caused quite a bit of interest, so if you are interested you can do this very thorough nerd test and find out exactly what you are made of! It is very detailed and makes you think about how we perceive nerds and their interests.

Alcopops

I woke up to the news that the alcopop tax hasn't changed a thing in terms of keeping young people out of hospital because they drown themselves in alcohol. The tax was never going to work. We have young people with a significant income stream from part time jobs and generous parents. To change their drinking habits means we have to get through to them and change their culture. . Going to hospital is a level they can obtain , like in gaming, so we have to look at the way they think and act and work on that. Ideas, please

Are you a nerd?

Thank you to Nathan's blog for this link.

PopMatters

If you do not know this site PopMatters, it is time you did. It covers news, media, blogs. It has a wealth of intelligently written material which gives you views, perspectives and food for thought.

Technology

There are any number of articles where well credentialled people are questioning the impact of new technologies and technological activities on human development. I am not certain that we have any hard data and research at this stage. We have people who are discussing their opinions and raising some issues that perhaps we need to consider better. Technology is not going to go away. Its impact will be significant. Whether it ultimately a bad impact is uncertain. Social networking and activities on the Net do not have to have a deliterous impact. Computer addicts will be no different from any other sort of addict because addiction is a disease and it has serious consequences. MySpace has had a lot of bad press but how many people are on MySpace and how many actually benefit from this? In any case it seems to be going into decline. It has had its day in the sun. As for  Facebook, it is the best way I know of keeping in easy contact with people and having some very amusing times. There is nothing about it which I find bad, in fact, it cheers me up no end because it makes me laugh. Social networking sites are often used to develop ideas and then organise events and contacts so it's just a different way of keeping it touch. and sharing ideas . Most people who use social networks are also using mobiles and the need for email  has diminished. No more clogged inboxes. I think we have to accept we have moved on from medieval times and we shall move on from industrial times. The world is going to change. We can go with the change, understand it and do our part to shape and influence it , or we can stick our heads in the sand and pretend the world is going to stand still. Any issues raised need to be considered and examined, but we also need to look at the good changes which occur. Isolated people have a good way of getting some social contact. Children need a balance but they will be navigating their lives through this the same as the generation which had to adapt to cars and planes. As adults we need to ensure they pick the safe pathways and have a chance to utilise the myriad of opportunities afforded them by technology.

Bushfire Appeal

"The Princess Royal’s donation will be offered in addition to the money donated to the Bushfire Appeal Fund by Queen Elizabeth."

Word gets around fast here. We communicate things very quickly and technology has only enhanced our capacity to spread the word. Our first observation today was about how Princess Anne stepped so adroitly into our country and tuned in quickly to our wants and needs. We have already heard about how compassionate she has been and how she offered her own donation to help us. She has gained a lot of respect and friendship in such a short time and it came as a surprise to us that we would like her so much and value the way she has participated in something which is essentially very personal even if it has gone all over world news.  Because we are still British subjects then we discussed who paid for the trip and how then she has put all that protocol and formality aside and created the balance and focus which needed to be there on a day such as yesterday. Our second observation was that in the light of satellite communications we really need to get on the ball if our communications are knocked out by bushfires. We need a 2009 technological solution to this. We cannot stand not being able to communicate but when we are in dire straits we absolutely have to have the capacity to communicate effectively and efficiently.

The Victorians

Of course we thought of them yesterday and the day before and the day before that and now today because of the extreme bushfire conditions came back. Of course some of them wanted to stay home where they were and not go to a ceremony. Some will be very fragile. Some will be lost in the fog of grief and pain. Some will be reeling. The nation stopped to pay tribute and to remind them we are there in a very strong sense. We can't all be seen. The ceremony allowed our unfailing support to be seen. The timing was never going to be right with a thing like this. Too many people have been affected. It has been devastating. We are there and we are there forever. Everyday.

Drunken soldier crashes 2 tanks.

1. The Germans will be pleased.
2. The British are sacrificing a long history of military credibility.
3. He was 18.
4. He stole and drove one tank out of a camp.
5. He stole and drove a second tank out of a camp.

This is hardly reassuring in the light of the two nuclear subs which collided last week.

Read it and weep.

Prudent Banking

Gordon  Brown has suggested England return to the days where banks served the economy. A wave of nostalgia washed over me. I used to love my bank book. The royal blue colour was just the very thing and I used to love checking it as I left the bank. It was filled up entry by entry and it gave me a wonderful sense of achievement. Same with my passport...I used to love getting it stamped for each place I visited  and it became a lovely reminder. Internet banking and computerised processing just don't have the same personal touch and it is more like being done over than actually having an important place in society. Maybe the children growing up today don't have a problem and can see their importance in a technological world. I just think personal service is better at developing things like responsibility, loyalty, achievement, purpose...

A Victorious Day

They are Victorians in all senses of the word. It was actually nice to be part of a country which could again put on a dignified face and work though some of the pain and shock of the Victorian bushfires as a united group. Even our troops and other Australians overseas have become part of the victorious spirit which is growing little by little each day. It was nice that we created a dignified, but not cold, ceremony for the bushfire survivors. It was really nice to know we had made such a big effort to be civilised and to show respect . It's a good values lesson and a good thing to return to. The bushfires have restored our Australian spirit and we know who we are today and what we stand for. Today will make a difference because over the last 10 years we had lost our sense of who we were, but today we know. I hope the people in Victoria can take some comfort in this. I also hope they will know that even if people did not participate in the ceremony the Victorians and their needs were in all our hearts. People are still organising help and donations and it is a remarkable feeling to be a part of that. I really feel proud to be Australian. About 5 years ago I had a phone conversation with a friend and he was saying to me that he wasn't sure which thing would actually make him leave Australia because he just didn't like how we had become. Well, today, we have become a very compassionate and caring nation which has grown together. We are a nation of about 21 million so we are stretched to the limit with this and yet that kind of pressure and challenge has made us haul hard together and lock in the bonds which always tie us together in this country. We need them there because we still have more heat to come and we shall all be very mindful of this. Today will help strengthen us and give us the courage to carry on.

Obama 10 Sarkozy 0

Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy have both spoken on Science. The You Tube video says it all. What is it with Sarkozy and his thumbs lately..il a tellement besoin d'un coup de pouce , mais pas comme ça! I'd like to thank Liberation for the link.

Mon meilleur ami

I was so lucky with my Christmas presents. This is another one and it is just so fantastic to be able to get French films here instead of having to leave the country and get them myself. We have moved on! Mon meilleur ami is a great DVD for a lazy Sunday afternoon or a hot day. It is just nice and makes you feel good. It made me laugh a lot too because it is so very French and of course, it is examing the intricacies of friendship. I have seen Daniel Auteuil in lots of French films. He acts with such ease and he makes you laugh because of his straight faced manner. He can appear so innocent and naive and that is the whole point, really. We can all be that innocent and naive. So My Best Friend is not an action film it is about a guy who hasn't really got any firends. He is a very successful businessman but you come to realise he has built a virtual reality, a house of cards which has all these "fixes" which are just woefully inadequate. Then he finds the taxi driver, played extremely well by Dany Boon, and it is the development of this relationship and the the intricate way it is built that makes you think about what friendship is and whether you have real friends and whether your own life is made of  durable or flimsy material. It is a film for all age groups so it would be good family viewing . I have taken the sincère, sympathique et souriant to heart. Good foundation for creating bonds.

The Bottom is falling out of the Law

We are living with flawed law, as we see it, and it is creating a number of bottle necks and blockages in our natural reactions and expressions of emotion so that we are now starting to fall into factional thinking and create excluded groups. None of this is going to be easy to talk about or manage. Talk is what we have to do ,though. If we don't bring this out into the open and discuss the merits or otherwise of what the law is doing, if we do not openly discuss how we feel and our reactions, then it will build up and it will come out in an irrational, unplanned way. The Victorian bushfores have highlighted a number of things which we hold dear as a community. We do not believe in kicking people when they are down. We do not believe in taking advantage and ripping people off. It is also clear we have got some social boundaries which are constantly being offended and eroded, as we see it. We are being forced to shrug our shoulders and put up with it and yet, our natural reaction is to get out there and put a stop to it. Too many of us have fallen foul of random attacks for quick cash, too many of us have been subjected to what is seen as petty pilfering. If we are not harmed and nothing is damaged then we are told we should be grateful. We do not think our personal belongings and our homes are there for the fundraising purposes of others. Our capacity to defend what is ours is quite diminished. So, we have to put up with it. There have been stories coming out of Victoria of arson, looting, people trying to buy land at cheap prices and then stories of people thieving the donations which pubs and clubs have been kind enough to organise. Of course the police are working on this seriously and we know they are putting their time into catching the offenders...and offenders is the right word. These people are sticking in the craw of even the most mild mannered and understanding citizens. When it comes to the people affected by the bushfires then there is a very strong sense of moral outrage that peolpe would start those fires, or would go scavenging when families have lost everything in such a gut wrenching way. Then there are stories of groups of boys attacking lone, young girls in a vicious way or someone viciously attacking old people. The sorts of stories where we feel this has gone too far. The law has to afford everybody justice and we believe in that too. The law has to afford some sort of possibility of rehabilitation as well. The difficulty we have is that we don't want to take any wounded . We don't want to put up with these hideous crimes against the defenseless and we do not want to allow people a second chance to do it again...because it might be your property and your family, it might be your daughter or your parents. It might be your son...and it might be yet another morning where you wake up and you find some swine has flogged all your bricks or stolen all your rose plants because they wanted them. We have got to talk about this. We are saturated.

Adelaide flat as a pancake.

We are so tired today. All yawning. All exhausted. All sleep walking. Not in a bad mood...just flat as pancakes. Some of it is because we have had a big temperature swing down again to the twenties. These see-sawing temperatures are exhausting physically because generally we are a happy, busy lot who like to do. So if we sit down...out come the yawns. Some of it is the police helicopter which was out and about last night for reasons best know to itself...so some people were awake listening and wondering and watching. We are not good on police helicopters but we know they are looking after us. Then there is the ongoing lack of rain. When it is dry then drier and now...driest, it just exhausts you looking at dried up bits and brownness. The trips to work are brown. All dried up and lacking in life and it makes us feel like that...and water. We just want water. We used to beat the heat by watering ourselves as we watered the garden. It was fun and welcome relief. Summer in Australia used to be a fun , laid back time of year.Now we have to think about water and air conditioners just do not have those same restorative properties as a good hose down! Not everyone has air conditioning so they are feeling a bit wrung out by now because the heat and dry has just gone on. It strings you out. So we hear news that we might get the desalinated water by next summer...but that is a year away. When you are in the middle of hot and dry it just seems endless and water restrictions have made it such a negative, destructive experience. We are not negative by nature. We'll get on with most things and we'll put up with a lot...so any discussion of dealing with global warming is just so much hot air which adds to our burden. We are past talking about it. Your average citizen has been working on things to save carbon and work towards sustainability. We have work places which have woken up and come onboard with sustainability . So no more talk. Let's just do it because there is plenty which can be done and it is not all costly. We need a more positive approach from the top.

Friday!

Don't you just love Friday...except when your computer is dragging, Vista is updating AGAIN, Live Writer pops up when you didn't ask it to and the sun is shining on your screen and you can hardly see it...better go to work and get over it.

The Victorians

I wake up wondering what is happening to the people who are still in tents.I know they have the things they need to keep clean and comfortable in a basic sense. If it rains then the tents will be another matter altogether.  As our school children started their school year at the end of January, some of the children in the Gaza Strip were going to school in tents because their teachers had asked for it and I felt nothing but admiration. Unicef is raising funds so the children in Gaza can go to school and get an education even though the conditions are horrendous. In Victoria our children are also at the mercy of people supporting them so their lives continue. The fund raising and support have been awesome. We have started matching people to accommodation through websites but now I wonder how many we still have in tents and if the children are able to go to school? In the gaza strip 7 schools were destroyed but we have had so many schools and homes destroyed in a big way too. Whole neighbourhoods and towns. People cannot return because it is too dangerous. Our sports people have been up to visit communities so the children have had a chance to play,  learn some skills and have some comfort. We are stretched to the limit and we have been nothing short of magnificent in getting practical help and solutions in place. There is talk here that we would shut schools in extreme heat. Our kids started school in really hot, dry conditions. Some of the worst we have had. They are at risk even without fires, so are adults...because going out in the heat is what really puts pressure on your body. The internet ought to provide some solutions with online delivery of assignments and then some work places could adapt to telecommuting and working from home. That is not so bad when in cold countries people are also prevented from attending work and school when the weather is extreme. Extreme heat is not properly computed in our calculations of daily living and yet technology has an adaptability built in which we could use. In the mean time , I think of those people in tents and wonder how they are managing and getting along because this will not be quickly returned to normal . We know that now . I have nothing but respect and admiration for the Victorians and then for us as a country . It's hard, but we are getting there.

Country Road

Country Road CEO sounds like he is erring on the side of caution when he speaks of his company's comfortable and comforting profit in these wild economic times, but the company ought to take heart form its profits. It is an Australian company which can teach us a lot because it has had to work hard at being competitive, finding a place and overcoming adversity in the marketing of its goods. For us it has always been a company which has meant quality clothing at a quality price which means some people couldn't afford it. Those who could have learned it would be false economy not to afford it because the quality lasts. The clothes wear well, they are classic pieces, they are what I call reliable clothes and they wear well. So in the long term they are a better investment than cheaper items. If you cannot afford new, they are available in second hand shops because some people just want a new piece. It is again a sign of our times that we shall need to purchase investment items. So instead of buying short term, throw out items, we shall probably start investing in fewer, better quality things. Things we can rely upon. There are women here who are Country Road dressers. Their items are of a sort and type which will always work well. Country Road is not daring and it is not over the top. There are a lot more women in professional positions and they would turn to Country Road because it has a good name and the clothes are comfortable for work. So if the company is posting a good profit it tends to suggest that women are again looking for investment pieces which they can turn to to meet workplace expectations in terms of dress code. It also means we are over ill fitting, poorly constructed items which just do not wash or wear well. In summer we'll still come home and throw on the tank tops and the shorts and in winter we'll still throw on our trackies and windcheaters...but at work it looks like we've got the dressed for success message here.

Royal Adelaide Hospital

We were embarrassed again and now we are not. We were sounding off again and I guarantee we'll all be sighing a big sigh of relief and then offering profuse apologies to Majorie Jackson-Nelson, who does, although it might appear there is evidence to the contrary, hold our respect in South Australia. She was a good  governor and we liked her. We still like her but no way do we want a hospital which was destined to be called The Marj. She wouldn't either. We were pushed into it, bullied into it and now , because it was so close to happening , we have had to sound off in a way that we are heard. It is a sad state of affairs that it had to go this far before some pretty solid, resonable people were heard. It is pretty sad that Marjorie Jackson-Nelson may have been hurt in all of this, but I think she is a woman of great experience and she knows what we are on about. She will understand but  I think we need to make amends...Had there been a better way to stop the new hospital being called The Marj we would have used it. We have tried everything but the government is being very foolish again. They keep teaching us a lesson which is why we have grown tired of their pettiness. They didn't used to be like that. The government is still not listening to  the fact that our doctors and nurses are asking for the money to be used to extend and refurbish our current RAH onsite instead of creating a new building which is down the road. Two campuses. If you see the RAH, it is a lovely hospital with fantastic staff and the grounds have just got better and better. There is room for some updating and refurbishment , especially with lifts...and I daresay the hospital staff would be aware of what really needs to be done. I do not understand why the government will not listen to decent, reliable, dedicated people who have a good name. Our RAH is a great hospital. We are starting to collect a bit of a list of how the current government has lost touch with us. We are not rash. We are not stupid and some real voices of reason have put forward some excellent and well founded arguments. It is disturbing this might have become personal, because Marjorie Jackson-Nelson has been impeccable and we know that. It should never have come to this.

Rental Market

Now might be a good time to look at the rental market given we have a large number of people who will need short term homes. Our rents have gone up, landlords are increasing prices, accommodation is in short supply. I get the bit about some people trashing rental accommodation. We have had a tiresome run of the tenants from hell. Now we have landlords who have upped the prices and there was an article online at the weekend about some landlords asking for sex, or more or less requiring it as part of the deal for accomodation in a house...you and they get to stay in the same room and same bed. Is this Australia? Don't we think more of our women? Didn't that sort of thinking literally go out with the ark? Time to look at short term accommodation , and yes, let's look at tenant behaviour too. We have reached crisis point and there are good people out there who need a home at a reasonable price. This predatory approach has to go.

Monsoon - Di Morrissey

What am I reading? Has taken a while because this was a Christmas present too. I am about half way through and it's quite a nice read. Nothing too heavy, but interesting. It is set in Vietnam and includes our involvement with the country. Good characters. Unfolds in a fuss-free way and brings up a few issues without drumming them into you as you read. At the moement , it's what I need.  I quite like Di Morrissey because she is consistent and Monsoon is living up to that expectation.

Angry Adelaide

There are angry people around Adelaide and it is what I said because we have been brooding. Trouble is, it is coming out in the wrong way. There is one supermarket which needs to stop its refund if we scan at the wrong price . It is causing havoc out there for the check out operators. For starters there are a number of customers who do not understand the policy and then there are some new check out operators who are confused by it. The latter will get sorted out by the store but the customers will only be stopped if the policy is stopped. I saw a check out operator bullied into giving items free because the customers were just so unpleasant and sarcastic. The girl was probably new and could only go so fast so to cop a barrage from one customer and then have the one behind raving on about how things were going off in his basket ...because of our heat...I felt sorry for her.Even the guy who was called to help the check out operator couldn't deal with these two they were so horrible. There are some really opportunistic people around at the moment and it is what they can get away with and THEY DO NOT CARE. This isn't how we are normally but it is what I am seeing and hearing. One woman was going off in a very aggressive manner at the garage at 7 am . She was nasty, abusive...we were trying to wake up and didn't have that kind of energy in the morning. She was in full flight and it took me a little while to get the man behind the counter to calm down. I could see he was ready to burst himself and it was wrong he had copped that first thing in the morning. Then I got to work and had a rash of tetchy, aggressive calls... So I think some people around town need a few lessons in dignity and decorum...and then etiquette. It is really horrible these people are what working people have to put up with. In the heat most people are being pushed...so a bit of consideration wouldn't go astray or we'll all be out on stress.

Ballistic Nuclear Submarine Conundrum

Were it not for the inherent seriousness of the incident, this whole event would be laughable. The sort of thing you expect in some lampoon show on television...complete with fake foreign accents. It's reported as a brief contact at slow speed but it is going to cost 50 million pounds to repair both submarines. Some brief contact. The damage seems to have been considerable even though no one is reported injured and the nuclear warheads were not compromised. Seriously, folks. These submarines are undetectable because of ANTI sonar equipment.Then there is the clap trap about this being a rare and unlikely occurrence. So why are submarines designed to evade detection surprised they are bumping into each other? With nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors on board I should have expected a bit more vigilance and then some technology to let them know there is a great big, fat nuclear submarine in front of them. It's daft. Deadly serious but completely daft.

Too many percents

What on earth is this which I found on my statcounter stats? 15 of them and they link back to my blog?

fraises.blogspot.com/#..&1@3&1&0&%7B%22s%22%3A%22resize_iframe%22%2C%22f%22%3A%221%22%2C%22c%22%3A0%2C%22a%22%3A%5B0%5D%2C%22t%22%3A0%7D

I have heard of the 7% Solution but this is way too many percents.

Our Shout

Fosters Crown Lager

I have just read our fire crews have got it down to 6 fires in Victoria. Some of these are still risky and the fire fighters have been working in unusual circumstances and conditions. This represents an awesome effort from our fire fighters. They have had to roster people on and off and swap fire crews from interstate. I believe we are also going to get a hand from 60 fire fighters from Canada and the US. We really need it. We only have 20 million people in this country and nowhere near enough fire fighters for the size and ferocity of these fires. All the experienced fire fighters have been saying they have never seen anything like it. So these are not just Australian bush fires. Our fire fighters have been tested  to the max and to their credit they are getting the better of these fires. 

I hope we are all going to shout them a beer when it's all over and they've had a chance to go home, shower and have a rest.

Children's Cancer Institute

Every week 3 Australian children die of cancer. This is three too many. 500 are diagnosed every year , so our capacity to keep these chiildren alive and well is extraordinary. I am now a supporter of the Children's Cancer Institute and make a donation to them each year. I couldn't always do that and I haven't always been in the position where I could donate to organisations I thought were important. But gradually things have changed for me and gradually I have been able to do the things which I wanted to do. So I sponsor my child in Africa and have had great pleasure watching him grow and my latest pleasure is hearing from the Children's Cancer Institute when I donate. On their site they say they have a commitment to sponsors. This is is the first time I have been on their site. I know they have a commitment because when I make a donation I receive a letter telling me where my money has gone and what their plans are. It's an effective strategy on their part...let me know, keep me informed, be positive and, in return, I feel like I belong and am doing something worthwhile. I have had no personal experience with this disease. The only thing I can remember is my daughter had a friend at primary school whose three year old brother was diagnosed with cancer. I remember going to pick her up at the girl's house and the Mum was friendly but she was worried sick and the Dad was pleasant but he looked haggard. I guess their faces have haunted me a bit because no parent should have to face having a little child who is so sick.

Après Vous

I got this DVD as a Christmas present so you can get it in Australia. When I first started watching it I was a bit concerned because it was dealing with someone who was suicidal. As it turns out the film is so typically French and the subject matter is managed very well so that you don't feel the burden of it but look at some of the issues and, in the end, it makes you feel like you can cope. But it's not really about suicide, as such. It is more about relationships and their complexity as many French films are. I found it really funny and beautifully managed. José Garcia you will probably know if you have seen Amélie and Daniel Auteuil is someone you ought to get to know because he is a very good actor and particularly clever in comedies. Sandrine Kiberlain is another tall, leggie blond you will probably appreciate. She's good in the part and a great clothes horse. She has been in a lot of films and is well accomplished. We really ought to see more of her. You feel much better after you have seen Après Vous. One of those feel good movies.

Twilight

I would never have thought I'd have been going off to see Twilight, but, you know, there are times when opportunities come up and you just say yes. In this case it was a friend who really wanted to see the film and couldn't find anyone else to go. So what are friends and family for? Yes, to accompany you to the things you like but they have no interest in. It had already been causing a bit of a stir around Adelaide and lots of young girls were reading the books. My daughter had gone out and bought the whole set with

the intention of having a marathon read. So there I was in the cinema, waiting. We'd rushed to the session, bolted our dinner because we hadn't quite timed it right...and the show was about to commence. When I go to something I have no interest in , I discipline myself to keep the black hat off and participate with an open mind. I can see why all the girls have fallen for Edward Cullen and I can see why all the girls are enjoying the book. Stephenie Meyer has created some good characters and she tells a good tale. I have since been assured that the books are far better and give you the sort of detail which absorbs and transports you into the fantasy world of Twilight. It would appear they have a much wider audience appeal.I was expecting something ghoulish but it wasn't a bit like that.It was just a good story but I felt the film baulked at being a proper film and restricted itself  too often to the level of TV series . The photography was superb. There were some excellent shots and images and artistically it was a well crafted film. That I really appreciated. The characters were well drawn but I felt the actors just didn't lose themselves enough in the characters to make them totally convincing. It comes with experience and confidence but there were some really good actors there who just needed to dare a bit more. The facial animation of Kristen Steward and Robert Pattinson was, at times, rather like the silent films and detracted from their roles. Kristen over did the "frissons" and couldn't quite express that and Edward and his eyebrows drove me nuts. I came out of it  really glad I had seen it and I shall certainly go and see the next one coming out in November. Sometimes it pays to do the unexpected.

Flowerdale, Victoria

Flowerdale really isn't on Google maps if you want to use GPS. The lady on the ABC's Friday night programme needs to be heard. We can be so ignorant and now is our chance to put a few things right. This is no tin pot country town, village or hamlet. It has some important resources like a big, critical alpaca farm...so what happened to that ? It has an award winning conference retreat and it's an historic area on the Yea Road. My thoughts today are with the people of Flowerdale because, from what I can tell from what has been reported, these people have been left to manage the fires in what they now call Death Valley. They seem to be isolated and the properties sprawl so it is not so easy to get help and comfort. Our resources are totally stretched to the limit with this....but the community still has its community infrastructure but only 10% of its housing. So I am thinking of the people of Flowerdale and hope comfort and more help will soon be at hand.

Loana Petrucciani

Okay, so today's unknown woman in Australia is Loana Petrucciani. Who is she? She is  France's first winner of what was their first Big Brother series, which was called Loft Story because it all took place in a loft. M6 used to put videos of it on the Net because the site M6 is a lot like our channel 10. So I used to keep an eye on it because at that time it was new and different. After she won she used to have a little video diary which was played on the Net. She was basically airy, harmless and light weight, but she was popular. Young , tall, leggy blonde, why not? So it's been a while since that all happened and earlier this month there was a story on a French news site that she had been found unconscious in her flat. At that point I became concerned. I don't know why. I don't even know her, but she was someone I had come to know through the internet and it seemed very odd and sad. The stories since then have been somewhat muddled. Some blogs say she was attacked by a boy friend. Some say she was drugged and it is not clear whether it was  medication or what it was. The French police were investigating . She has a nice little fan site Loana Forever and has had 2 songs and written a book. The latest information I can find is that there was no attack and she slipped, but she is being treated for her state of mind. People who are launched into fame can be so fragile et pour cette raison je lui souhaite bon courage et je veux juste savoir qu'elle va bien et que quelqu'un prend soin d'elle.

Adelaide is brooding

Adelaide is in a weird mood and I am not in the least surprised to hear Vidmar went off like a rocket at his Adelaide soccer team after they lost to Melbourne Victory. The Victorians probably deserved to win in the light of what they have been dealing with as a state this week. It would have been weighing more heavily on them because it was their state which has been burnt to bits...not ours. So somewhere in the psychology of an Adelaidian there would be that thought...poor buggers, with all they have had this week a win will do them good. But our team sounds like us. They have been described as flat and without fire. That is us. All of us. We are flat. We feel unwell. We want to sleep or be quiet. We know that but for the grace fo God that could have been our state or our state as well last weekend. We, too, have had years of drought followed by dubious water restrictions and we are looking at burned up dust bowls of gardens and our gardens have deteriorated badly the last two years. This year the sun has been burning right through things. Not normal and we know it. Then there is the small matter of the the Torrens leaking out and it was supposedly an electrical fault. Just before our festival month and the mad run in Adelaide where everything thing happens all the time and then it goes quiet. So we find out there is magically a quarry full of water and we know that water is the magical elixir which would bring hope to our gardens and our lives...it has been there all this time in that quarry. They will probably pipe it to the Torrens. So yes , we are frustrated because when you are like my neighbour and you have been busting your gut all through the heat on home renovations, you can see your garden turned to dust and you wake up Saturday and find out some swine with Global shoes has stolen your tyres, wheels and rims...you feel like the world has turned and there is not a lot you can do about it. So you get into can't be bothered mode and you get random attacks of anger. Vidmar grew up in Adelaide. He is apparently a good coach. So he will know how this is and he will also know that raving on at your team and going right over the top is probably not how you get the best out of people. You never get top effort from people you abuse. At the moment we are a bit at the end of our tether and it's this tinder dry , dead land and the need for rain.So I guess there will be a few people losing it and sounding off. It was rubbed in yesterday as I drove along South Terrace. Veale Gardens was hosting a wedding  and it looked green, lush and beautiful inspite of our heat. On the opposite corner was another park where the trees were neat and clean, the ground was cleared of debris but the overwhelming impression was it was dry, starved, parched. The trees looked too dry and distressed and the ground look brown and awful . The whole image was of this land which just needs water. Adelaide needs water. Do not put up another house, nor bring another person into our state until you can give us proper amounts of  water.

Inva Mula-Tchako

So who is Inva Mula-Tchako? She is the Albanian woman with the most beautiful voice who was the voice of the blue Diva in the film The Fifth Element by Luc Besson. I have been a fan of this film ever since it came out because it was  so different  at the time but  also a film where France and America had actually worked together to produce something ground breaking. Bruce Willis is really good in this film...but the Diva had the most wonderful voice and it wasn't until today I knew who Inva Mula-Tchako was . This lady deserves to be widely publicised and acknowledged for providing us with such a unique, moving and awe- inspiring segment in the film.

Don't gag the Victorians

In fact, don't gag any Australian. We used to have a tradition of sounding off and you could sound off about anything...and be told not to sound off if people didn't want to listen. We stopped it and replaced it with well modulated tones, rational speech and endless, mind numbing speeches. Your average Australian has been stopped from sounding off because we have become frightened of emotion and we have also used it as a weapon to stop people from saying things we don't want to hear. It's a power play. Gagging people means you push your own agenda through because you run the argument that they are too upset and emotional to be rational. Sounding off was a great way to get everything out into the open. it was a great way to get things off your chest and it was a great way of easing the pressure which had built up over something. Others would bring you to a calmer and steadier expression of your views but your emotion was what drove open, honest discussion. There was a programme on the ABC last night which was beamed around the world on our radio. It had different people who represented the different aspects of the Victorian bush fire situation as we see it at the moment. It was a controlled programme but it raised all sorts of issues. One man was beside himself and he was sounding off. At one point I really felt for him because he was genuinely upset by what he saw as problems and yes, they were pretty big problems, but the interviewer gagged him and moved onto someone else. At one stage the man was talking about the roads they didn't have and how that had been an issue. Then he was talking about how they had been stopped from using fallen down trees by the roadside as free fuel for their wood  fires at home. His point was they wouldn't have been there to add to the fuel load if people had been allowed to use them for wood fires. His best point, where I though he was going to swear, and I really admired him for not swearing , was when he was talking about his friend's car . His friend had gone in his car to try and escape the fire and it had just melted. The man was horrified that the car had just melted. Any other Australian would have called the car a bleeping useless piece of crap for melting like that. Luckily the friend had got out. Yes, he named the car brand. The interviewer could have drawn him out on the roadside trees, or the poor quality roads or diverted the melting car into a general discussion of how we need to look at what cars are suitable for the bush. Then there was the lady who was having some difficulty getting her points out but they were incredibly valid and should have been clarified and  better heard. She made one point about her town not even being on Google maps so any talk of using GPS to track those who are trapped needed to include this oversight and incredible coverage gap. Her other point was we need to think outside the square and ponder whether it might not be better to turn some of  these townships into something else which was safer in terms of our society..create a new role for them. Neither of those points was explored. She, too, was given short shrift and yet those who were stating the obvious and who could easily express themselves calmly were given more time. This is a unique situation and speeches just are not going to cut it. We need to hear everyone's point of view. If they are sounding off, there will be some truth and valuable points in there. We need to hear them.

Joyeuse Saint Valentin!

 

I'd love to acknowledge the person who made this image. It was sent to me in an email where there were other images. We have some extraordinary digital artists out there. Even if you don't like their images , you have to acknowledge the creativity and expertise which goes into an image like this. It is not just smoke and mirrors and clever tools. So valentine or not...enjoy this day and spoil yourself. Use it as a day to do a bit of pampering!

Zoos Victoria

The home page of Zoos Victoria has a link so that you can donate to help save the unique indigenous wild life which has been harmed and hurt by the Victorian Bushfires. Amongst all the other stories of selflessness, we have a group of people in Victoria who are helping these animals so that they can get better and live. Sadly, some have had to be put down because of the extent of burns or smoke inhalation. Others will need to be cared for for months. The real courage in this story is they are mostly being cared for by people who have already lost everything including friends and family in the fires. It is a fact of their life and yet, they are reaching out to preserve our unique wild life. It has been incredibly encouraging to learn that there have been such a lot of donations from overseas people. People from other countries have been really concerned about the plight of our wild life and have been very generous.  Our domestic animals and live stock have been picked up by interstate initiatives and so we have this big picture that amidst the trauma , everybody is finding a thing they care about...and people do want to help. We should never lose sight of this fact, because the critics and looters are out and they are basically a diversion...but also a test of our resolve to carry on the good work inspite of them.

Adelaide Zoo

I went to Adelaide Zoo last month because I wanted to see the changes and the new feel. Some of it was closed because there were still major alterations going along. In all it was a very inspiring day and I have made a slide show of my photos so give me a lift when I need it. I found the entry price to be steep and it would mean families might find it out of its reach but most of our children would have zoo visits through their school, or , as on this day, through their holiday care programmes. That was interesting. There were a lot of children there and most of them were lovely and were enjoying the day. There was a group, however, where the children were clueless as to how to engage with animals and they were loud, aggressive and doing a lot of banging and bashing because that's how they thought you interacted with animals. Their care workers had their work cut out trying to get them to see you need to approach animals differently. Something we all need to work on because I guess some children never see animals these days. The zoo was brilliant and had some lovely shady spots which were well landscaped for a warm day. The animals were the healthiest I have ever seen them and it was just so nice to spend a day with them. There were enclosures where you could have close encounters and everyone was respectful of the signs which the zoo staff put up to manage these areas. It was just great to see how far we have come in caring for wild life. On the way back to the station I had a glorious walk along the Torrens...might be a bit of an eyesore today!

River Torrens has run away

Adelaide is embarrassed again...well, not really, not in the scheme of things. We have been  chortling. Compared with what they are facing and  are up against in Victoria , it's nothing and we are full of mirth and disbelief. Lots of jokes about mud wrestling and mud pies have abounded. Typical Adelaide way of coping with our icon River draining over night because of an electrical fault in the weir. Now? Over night? All of a sudden? Then they are supposed to have shut the weir manually...which would have taken how long? There is no other water flow to help us. We have to wait for rain? Rain???!!! What a joke. We thought about trucking the water down from Queensland to help solve their problem. There are health concerns about it leaking flowing into the St Vincent Gulf and affecting our beaches and sea grass. Health issues from the water? Is this the same water that was in the Torrens? Isn't it a health issue there? They are talking bacteria and viruses...and this is the River we have had running through town? It has gone down 2 metres and so we have lots of mud. It is one of our prime attractions. So it's been okay to keep all this dirty water in our lake? Lovely. It has uncovered just how much we pollute the river and dump stuff in it. Most people sweep things under the carpet. We shove things in the river. It is now the creek it once was. Embarrassing, though, because we have the V8 races coming and next month is festival month. The river is always an attraction and highlight and one of the really nice places to be in Adelaide. So here we are with crispy dry gardens because we are on water restrictions with a river which ran away because of an electrical fault in the weir and we have no way of filling it. There's mud in your eye...oh yes, the jokes keep coming. Our thoughts are firmly on Victoria.

It's freezing!!

We are embarrassed. We were being boiled and over heated. Most people were complaining about the heat and many were suffering from the excess heat. I woke up this morning to 13 degrees. Given we have had overnight temperatures in the mid twenties and in the thirties...that is cold. I was freezing. People in Adelaide have dived into the cupboards for their jumpers ,trackies and fluffy slippers. It is crazy. We do not like it this cold. So now we are embarrassed because we have become whingers and we are trying not to complain...but it is bloomin' cold!! I hate it.Some people are getting sick because of the drastic changes in temperatures and some people are battling with hayfever and allergies. There doesn't seem to be a nice, even middle ground anymore.So we are looking for the warm food and the creature comforts. Past being cold, my first thoughts this morning were also for the people in Victoria. Some of them are still under threat. They are our neighbours. We are talking about them all the time. These days it is more about the new information and what we have done to help or what we are thinking of doing. In the midst of all this trauma we have discovered how to get Australians to donate blood. Most people at work are going to do it. Why? Because the burns victims need it. So we shall give blood because it is for our neighbours and we know where the blood is going. We do personal very well. We've been to Victoria. We have family and friends in Victoria. This is very close to home. We know what bush fires feel like. We know what the horror and the pain and terror is like. As I drove to work I listened to Victorians in the area which is still under threat. I had nothing but admiration for them. They are circumspect, honest, clear headed and very courageous. They are capable of making some tough decisions. I also heard from the people whose lives and land have been wiped out. Anything I was about to do at work was going to be a doddle. All these people wanted was to see their burnt out houses and land. They just wanted to see it so they could start again. It was just so amazing they could be that strong. They couldn't see their land because it is cordoned off as crime scenes. People had a good understanding of how this all worked but you know, the arsonists responsible hold these lives to ransom. Of course the police have to pursue their investigations carefully and slowly and in an uninterrupted fashion. But the owners just wanted to see...some of them desperately needed to know the state of their animals. One man had gone a back way to his property just to reassure himself his sheep were okay. They were. They hadn't been shorn and the woolly coats had protected them. So as we listen, we learn. We learn what they are going through and we learn what they need. With satellite technology we ought to be able to provide them with pictures if they are not allowed back yet. With videos,digital cameras and laptops we ought to be able to show them. Seeing it for themselves is important in their healing. So yes, at the moment , I want to know how they are doing and then I want to know what the new initiatives and discussions are. There have been some great discussions and some great moves to help this situation. Maybe others have had enough and don't want to know. I do. They are my neighbours.

Operation Bush Fire

We are mobilising. Amidst the sadness, the horror, the frustration, the disbelief, Australians are doing what they really do well - mobilising. Rallying, thinking, organising, examining, crying, comforting, helping, nitpicking, watching ...but it is all doing and it is all moving us forward. We are a small nation on a vast continent. We cannot afford to get lost in this. I feel much better now I have made my donation to the Red Cross Appeal. I could not bear to think these people do not even have a toothbrush or a bar of soap and that was my driving thought.The lady on the other end of the phone was friendly, efficient, methodical and very warm in her reaction. She made me feel like I had done something good. She made it very personal and she told me that interstate people had been very generous and helpful.I would have donated my money no matter who was at the other end and how they sounded, but the fact I got such a kind response has only encouraged me. In a few minutes she taught me how we need to be right now...and we have been like that. I have found both Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull to have been good leaders in this situation and John Brumby has been just incredible. As the head of Victoria John Brumby is well aware of the responsibility he carries and he has come into his own. He has been a steadying, rational influence who has been able to secure the help for his state that it needs. His demeanour has been both steady and influential but in a very understated way. He is a good carer. Kevin Rudd has been remarkable. He has been quite clearly as disturbed and upset by this as we have. He has felt this as an Australian, but he has been out there trying to provide the right help, support and comfort. He has been trying to mobilise whatever resources he can as Prime Minister, but he has not come out with any trite and well worn speeches. He has just felt it and said it as we have. We can be proud of our parliament's  condolence speech . This is how politicians should be and it's a damn shame such a disaster has to occur for us to see we actually have a pretty good lot of politicians sitting in our parliament. But we have been following Malcolm Turnbull's catch cry...and we needed a rallying point. He said : " Whatever it takes." We have hung our hats on these words and rolled up our sleeves and got to work. We are hatching fund raising plans. We have trucks of goods leaving SA tomorrow destined for the bush fire areas. We have been donating , rallying support and just getting in there and doing whatever it takes to keep us mobile and active. We have the thinkers providing us with plenty to cogitate as we do all this because our stay and defend or up and leave policy did not work. These fires have been unusual. Our standing orders fell apart. We have had the police examining every bit of evidence so that we catch the arsonists and we have already decided it is too dangerous to have them living with us. Too dangerous. Too expensive. Too devastating. We have the army rolling out some impressive equipment and we have had the media doing a brilliant job of keeping us informed and on our toes. We cannot stand still. We have to build up a critical mass of activity so we roll this onto positive ground and we are doing it. We don't really say much. We just get on and do whatever it takes.

Victorian Bushfires

The country is currently rallying in lots of ways as we face what is now the worst bushfire season on record. There are over 130 people who have  lost their lives and Adelaide knows how that feels as we had our own Ash Wednesday in the 80s when 75 people lost their lives. So we are trying to double the impact and come to terms with it. Devastating. Just devastating and the thought that some of these fires may have been deliberately lit is sticking in our throats. What do you do with people who deliberately light fires and cause this amount of pain, suffering, destruction? We run out of words and our only thought is that you cannot describe it. You feel it and you do not want to know people would do this on purpose.So we do not want them in our society. We can find no excuses. We think of the firefighters and the emergency personnel. We listen to the sad tales of serendipidy and of good decision making. We listen as people tell us their truths and how they worried all day and how they escaped. It gives us heart. We need to hear those accounts because they are keeping us strong even though they might bring a tear to our eye. They are helping to create the courage we shall need to haul together as a nation to repair the damage. What that will be is still not clear because fires are still burning, fire fighters are still exhausting themselves to save people and land and it will take a while to discover if we have accounted for everyone. What is clear is that we have support and we need it. Victoria has already had promises of help from other states and actually has already started to receive that help. Even Queensland which is badly flooded is going to help Victoria and that is such an anomaly. There we have one state which is seriously flooded trying to help one which is burning. If only we could easily get the water out of one into the other. Australia is massive. 14 and a half Frances can fit into Australia. Two Germanies easily fit into South Australia, so mobilising things  and dealing with bush fires is a massive business. So no, we cannot bear to think these fires were deliberately lit. We were heart warmed as we heard we had support from Britain and NZ. We were touched to know Times Online had given us such good coverage and that France 2 had given the fires some serious coverage. It somehow helps us manage the awfulness of the situation to know we are not alone trying to manage this. Heaven knows how the Victorians feel. That is a big loss of life and such enormous damage.130+ people, 750 homes plus all those beautiful forests. Australia is massive so the extent of this disaster is actually too big to contemplate at the moment. We just have to keep ploughing through it and we just have to keep finding  ways of helping. In time those channels will be clear and we shall be better able to manage when we can really provide help. We are doers. We were all thinking of the Victorians this morning. We all got to work and those were our first words. We all got up and they were on our minds.

Coolness

Adelaide is rejoicing! Mid twenties heaven. Normally after a long spell of heat we have it broken by a huge downpour of rain and the relief of seeing all that water and smelling the earth again is just pure bliss. We had a paltry effort at rain over night. The tragedy is going out and seeing everything burnt and singed like never before. We have all been through heat in summer. My plants have never been sunburnt and browned like that before. I have spent much of today getting dead stuff gone because it is so depressing to look at . The dryness is sad because we have always managed summer and the bush fires raging north of our city and then through Victoria were going to happen. No watering means we now live in dangerous circumstances and the restrictions mean we cannot make our houses and gardens a bit safe from fire. Last year people just threw a match on my neighbour's garden and it went up. It was lucky they were home and saw it. I do not see how this lack of water is good. We shall end up in a desert. A more serious look at providing us with water is essential so we can help plants and trees to stay relatively healthy. Bush fires are awful, just awful ,and I am thinking of those who have been through searing heat who are now in dangerous ,life threatening,even more searing heat. I am thinking of our fantastic fire fighters who really sounded good on the French news the other night. Oh yes...our heat is world news. La canicule du siècle.These weather extremes have to stop and we need to be given the means to stop them. The more trees and plants we lose the worse it will become. We need plants and trees for protection and respiration and to hold the soil....so ,yes, give us water. Maybe they should pipe it down from Queensland and maybe they just need to fill those lakes at Goolwa which were maritime lakes before we got here. This is critical but I haven't noticed anyone important actually doing anything. Governments stand by and bleat global warming and their words are just rattling in the dry,  parched land as they continue to do NOTHING , absolutely NOTHING about our weather extremes and managing them...so no, we don't believe in global warming. It shouldn't have surprised the radio station which did the survey that we don't believe in it. There is nowhere with normal weather and normal weather patterns are gone. It's a global warning.

Hot Heat

Oh yes, we have been pretty hot in Adelaide with temperatures in the forties Celsius. One of my friends had an offshore worker from an outsourced company feeling very sorry for him, telling him he needed to rug up and get the woolly hat out. The worker had assumed it was 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Just one of the little implementation dips of the global village - the fact we are using different measurement scales. I haven't minded the heat. I am probably the only one in Adelaide who has not been particularly appreciative of air conditioners. I hate it. I wait all year to be warm because I just do not function in the cold and then it gets warm and the air conditioners go on. I have been horrified how some people have run them all night and then put fans on as well. Bit over the top in my mind and rather self indulgent. Even if you are sick there are less extreme ways of keeping your body temperature down. Then there is the small matter of people filling pools while our plants are dying. We cannot live in a desert. This year I had evidence in black and white on my water bill that I used less water BEFORE these restrictions. I also kept my garden alive. Now I am watching it die again and, like one radio announcer, I am deeply concerned because these restrictions are killing our state. I know there are irresponsible people. Let them be nailed. I know there are irresponsible businesses and industries. Let them be nailed too...but let your average South Australian manage the heat and their gardens and keep giving us all those tips...or let our state die. There is simply no excuse to let our trees and plants die. None. That is irresponsible.