The Coal Front

I came to Glenden with the hope of learning a thing or two about the mining industry, as a journalist, also as an Australian citizen. With the hope of gaining a little insight and understanding, and ultimately not end up being another silly left-sider ranting and complaining without the wisdom that can only be picked up by going and sharing an opinion and a beer or two with those on the other side of the proverbial fence. That, and I wanted to make some quick money, and, these days in Australia, the money is where the mines are.

Along with Western Australia, the New Frontier for the gold-rush-like resources boom is Queensland. In particular, the wide, vast lands to the west of Mackay, the Bowen Basin, among the sparse scrub and ancient crumbling remains of weathered mountains and long dead volcanoes and sacred forgotten indigenous homelands, whose memory is now long forgotten and hinted at only by ochre-paint markings in cliffside caves.

Beneath the tall grass and scrubby trees and the red dusty soil, deep down past the dinosaur bones and the six-inch layer of volcanic ash that lays as buried testament to the violent time of the upheaval of the volcano cores not so far away, lies a black layer of Permian fossil, the condensed remains of vegetation from a time when our continent was still a part of the massive landmass of Pangaea, when all continents were still as one, and in the beginnings of their parting of the ways across the Universal Sea, Panthalassa , some 300-250 million years ago.

 It is this dark layer of ancient black carbon that has brought in all the entrepreneurial types and get-rich dreamers, flocking in for a piece of the Bowen Basin. Those with the backing and the knowledge and instincts for money-making would consider themselves fools for not getting involved and sticking their fingers in the black coal pie. The big boys of business and money-making from all over the world are here: Fat Texans with sweaty hands and gleaming grins, wealthy Indians with spotty records, Secret Chinese Business. But here in Glenden, the Swiss rule all. They own this town, built it from scratch to house the workforces of the two Xstrata mines out here, one underground, one above – open cut. They own just about every single house, they own the pub and Bowling Club, they own the shops and most of the industrial zone, too. To them these streets belong.

Xstrata is a big time player on the international stage, with operations in 18 countries, on all continents, with big-percentage stakes in the global markets of coal, copper, nickel, zinc, ferrochrome and vanadium, and smaller (but still pretty substantial) operations in gold, silver and aluminium. Their biggest shareholder is their big ugly thug of an uncle, Glencore, with a 40% stake. A fellow-Swiss megacorporation, one of the biggest in the world, Glencore is without a doubt one of the true bad boys of globalisation, with a seemingly endless rap-sheet of insider-trading offences and contoversy, union-busting, deals with rogue-states like Apartheid South Africa, Libya and the infamous Iraqi Oil Scam, coupled with a blatant disregard for human rights and the environment and Earth in general; all under the motto of “Do What It Takes”. With this “go getter” approach to business, they have climbed to the top of the ivory tower with the wealth and the muscle to get what they want – to hell with the rest.

 Xstrata's close association with these swine has not come without more than a few raised eyebrows, and, like their big brother, they have not been short of controversy -- particularly here in Australia; overturning Supreme Court environmental enquiries with whisperings from the pocket of the NT government, corruption investigations in WA and community clashes to do with the Anvil Hill mine in New South Wales.

 Down at ground-level though, life in Glenden is good. People are friendly enough, though sometimes with wealth comes a little arrogance. Then again, with general human nature comes a little arrogance. They all work hard for their money. Crime is virtually non-existent here. After all, everybody has money and no need to steal anything. As one underground worker put it to me so eloquently,“No riff-raff or Dole Bludgers – No Problems”. Harley Davidsons sit at ease in driveways, keys stay put in the ignition in big new utes and 4WD's. Grown men with more toys than a kid needs, kids with more toys than is good for them. More dollars than sense?, or just that they have so much money that they can just afford to give themselves and their families all that they ever dreamed of? After all, most of the workers out here have come from working-class backgrounds, from the Australian Struggle. Now they find themselves with more money than they know what to do with; of course they're going to spend it on themselves and the ones they love. At the end of the day, the people here are happy and content. Their lot within the folds of the Xstrata operation is working out nicely for them, and the company does indeed look after it's employees. They are paid lavishly and accommodated as well -- for some $30 dollars a week, and fed at the communal Mess Hall.

The Newlands Coal mine is but one of 34 active coal mines in the 60,000 km² region of the Bowen Basin, which stretches roughly from Collinsville to Theodore. Xstrata currently has 1,227 employees on it's payroll at Newlands, and is pulling coal from the earth at approximately 11 million tonnes per annum, (a combined total of both the underground and open cut developments) with further extensions planned and waiting for government approval. These extensions seem inevitable. The Bligh government has come forth with plans to increase coal production in Queensland from the current 190 million tonnes to an absolutely staggering 340 million tonnes in the not-so-distant future.

In November last year, her cabinet approved a 30 mega-tonne open-cut mine in Nandean. This will be the biggest open cut mine in the southern hemisphere. In addition to this, there is a proposal in the works for a mine three times as big, a 110 mega-tonne open cut, which will be one of the biggest open wounds on the face of the planet. As it stands, 80% of Queensland is now under some kind of mining lease or exploration permit for developers in the coal and coal seam gas industries. This includes national parks, nature refuges and prime farmlands. Her planned expansion for the coal seam gas industry also makes for tough reading, with current plans to increase the number of operational wells in the Darling Downs region from 1,000-40,000, even after a recent survey showed that around 68% of people are really not so sure about this industry, and want a moratorium into the practices of it before it goes ahead any further. The fact of the matter is, CSG is hugely dangerous. Sure, the gas is good – but it's the method that is the nightmare here. Nobody should be able to light their water on fire. Why don't we just offer somebody a million dollars to find a way of extracting the gas without completely destroying the water supply? Surely there's a scientist clever enough to come up with a solution to that one. If there's not, I'll eat my hat.

Most of the action at the moment, however, is centred around the coal beneath the Bowen Basin. As Australia's largest coal reserve, as well as one of the world's largest deposits of bituminous coal and coal seam gas, it has truly become hell-for-leather to get a piece of the action. The basin is now, according to the QLD Greens, the “single most concentrated source of greenhouse gas production in the world”. Already. And the action really is just heating up.

Newest on the stage is the wealthy Indian businessman, Guatam Adani. He has recently gained approval for a 10 billion dollar mine/railway/port project, which, all going to plan, will become the equal-largest coal mining operation in the world. Again, the Greens estimate that the greenhouse gas emissions produced by this mine alone will be bigger than the government's Carbon Tax hopes to reduce. Most of the 60 million tonnes per year dug from the mine will be shipped, straight through the Barrier Reef, to India. The runoff from the mine is also expected to flow straight into the reef as well. Adani's Carmichael mine is expected to have a lifetime of 150 years.

For all the huff and puff and TV commercials crying foul about the “crippling effects” that the Carbon Tax is going to have on the mining industry, the (dis)proof is in the punch. The industry is accelerating at a rate never seen before. It all flies in the face of all the now-proven climate-change science, all of the environmental crusaders and organisations, and all of the government smokescreens telling of how much they are going to make a difference, and how much they care. If you happen to believe in climate change, or fear at all for the well being of our country and our planet in the long-term, the stage is set and the scene is grim.

There may also be a nasty rattle of truth to the talk of the crippling effects of the tax, too. Particularly for those involved in manufacturing and steel – industries already suffering under the weight of the soaring dollar. Just about every other industry in this country that I can think of is either in big trouble or just about shot or sold off already because of it. Textiles, Tourism, Retail, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Telemarketing. All of it. The high dollar is killing our country. Nobody else seems like they want to say it, but it's the truth. True, our way of life is great and good, but for the most part it came about that way as a result of the aforementioned industries. But this is Capitalism. For somebody to win, somebody else has to lose.

The government backing of this mining boom is entirely logical and reasonable. Careless, short-sighted and greedy, too; but it is not difficult to see it from their perspective. One thing matters to politicians, and that is votes. To get votes, they first need to please their electorate. The electorate wants the government to be able to make money and not go broke, while keeping up to speed in terms of infrastructure and public care and schools and healthcare and such other non-profit ventures – to uphold the Security of life here in Oz -- to Look After Them. To do this, the government needs money, and a lot of it – so, they see the mines as their big glowing key to paying back their debts and giving the throngs what they need. Long-term vision be damned; they need RESULTS, they need money, and they need them NOW!

In a somewhat ironic twist in the tale, the carbon tax, through the associated benefits of revenue-raising from the coal industry, will make it much more profitable for the government to approve new mines and extension projects. Ho ho! Yes sir. Soon it will be too profitable to downscale – or, to not Upscale coal production, even more so than now, and we all know the general track-record of decision-makers when it comes down to making these kind of 'fiscal' decisions. Especially considering the fact that we're broke. I've finally figured the fuckers out. This is The Plan.

 And so... the Earth warms up and it seems we hover in a limbo of endless Catch-22 situations, damned if we do, damned if we don't. The upshot is that the renewables (and the government) will receive a much-needed financial boost. The the other palm reads neverending coal boom and likely more floods/cyclones/drought as the world burns. There is no slowdown in sight. There is still a lot of coal under our soil, and more and more demand for it, as the once third-world moves into the consumer age and the global population rises. Also, I believe, those involved can see that the end of coal reliance may be not so distant, and gains must be grabbed while the window is open. 

The government can tax coal all they like, but unless the root of the problem (the demand for energy and the economic feasibility of renewable energy) is addressed, there can be no real change. But still, I've seen no visible attempts to slow the flow – the mines still seem to always get their way, they always get approved for their extensions and massive mining projects. The sky is the limit, and nothing is sacred.

But, this “Green Revolution” isn't going to happen overnight. Coal is cheap and very profitable, much the same with CSG. Solar and wind and hydro technologies are relatively new, expensive and not yet so finely tuned to provide wholesale power to the masses. With time and funding, though; we may see a reversal of this situation in years to come. Better to take a step in a forward direction and see what happens? I reckon so. It sure ain't no quick fix, this Carbon Tax, but what else have we got? Sure as hell not a great deal of ideas or strategies for the greater incorporation of renewable power in Australia. How about some forward thinking from the left, for a change? Now that the logging industry down in Tasmania has been shot dead, why not give the people down there something to do, by, say... building a huge hydro-power turbine grid off the cape at the bottom and in the Bass Straight, capitalise on that Southern Ocean. Who knows? Maybe if they put the money into it, they could power Melbourne and Tassie with hydro power. Why not? I mean, it's not like we're broke or anything; right? Right?? I mean, surely we have a bit of of money at the moment to throw at projects like this, considering the “Strength of the Aussie Dollar” and the exponential growth of both the coal and coal seam gas industries. Am I right?

That being said, the memories of a handful of pretty harrowing natural disasters still lie not far from the minds of the people and the coffers of the government, particularly that of Anna Bligh, who, despite having handled the floods really well, has turned Queensland into the Whores of the Earth. She will sell, and has sold, anything to the highest bidder. Queensland Rail went first, (Which, surprise surprise, is getting pretty expensive), a Never say no  attitude to mining, and a “Do what you please, you have the whole state to work with – no need for a moratorium” mantra for the Gas Men. Queensland is in the shit. Not only has it become the cheap slut of the corporate world; but it has sold out on it's people, it's agriculture, it's harsh and unique beauty. For what? A new Gateway Bridge? Surely saying “No” to an extension or proposed mine or two will remind these corporations who is the boss here, command a little respect and maybe even drive the prices higher. Nobody respects a whore. We are getting the short end of the stick because Anna Bligh has no restraint. We're still Broke, left to deal with the open sores and piles of dead earth and polluted water and vanishing farmlands that some smart rich cocksucker, laughing to all his pig-nosed ugly mates about overseas, has left behind. And the opposition wants us to NOT tax these bastards? The same opposition who is still happy enough to push for cuts to welfare and pensions and medical research? Please, Tony, you must be Joking... Right?

Somewhere between Gillard, Bligh and Abbot, I feel, lies a recipe for Doom. We must think for ourselves, be our own party and influence the outcome for us, for our country. We are no longer represented – not in the slightest. What do they care about us? What do they care about Australia? Cryptic talk, cheap tricks and deceit. The standard political fare of the times. Weak line-towing media and infotainment brainwashing. Man, look at us. Compare our society with the Mayans, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks. We are the urban primitives, the technological slaves to the money, dollar dollar bill, yall. But we are many, and we are not stupid. We all want the same things. We're all together in this. No more bullshit, Australia. We's all 'lations. Surely we can turn it around, I mean look at all the things that we've invented and done. People have walked on the moon, for chrissakes. All we need to do is invent the New Way and make it Happen. Should be easy enough, I reckon.

.

Dragon's Death

The New Earth, 2011 A.D., or, the Year Before, before the (much lauded) “End of the World”. Much fear unspoken and murmurings of Apocalypse. Speculations in whispered talk between close friends of impending catastrophic Earthquake or volcano, flood or oven-atmosphere cranking up the heat and baking the Earth unlivable. Quieter still the musings of Nuclear Death and all-too-possible moments of insanity by the insane unseen madman with a Top-Secret passcode and a finger on a red button, Death triggered from the impenetrable bowels of the Pentagon or Kremlin or the shadowy empire of the much-loved Great Leader of the starving. First silence, then a rumbling and hellish shaking and gradually the sky goes black for ever. Fearful vibes, world-wide it seems, masked and hidden by sayings of “I Don't Believe”, but deep down we all know that the Fear does exist. We are all, after all, not so far removed from beliefs rooted in some kind of pagan animism, witches, ghosts, spirits and Gods.
       Who know’s. It does not seem all together unbelievable. Man, in his tens or hundreds of thousands of years of existence has still not yet evolved far from the level of dumb, barbaric beast. Kill to survive, yes. Kill. Man is greedy, crazy. Altogether untrustworthy. Those who wield power recognise their power to steal and cheat and kill and lie and they do hear the call. Mortal souls of man - still so easily bent to the whims of the Devil. If you listen closely to the wind, the voices of the ghosts of ‘45 can be heard, calling for reason at the onset of dusk - yet night after night, though they scream with more and more intensity their voices distant are buried in the noise and blue light buzz of a hundred million TV screens extolling the virtues of greed and death.
       The surface of the earth is dying, as is the sea. Stupid man cares not and is slow to change for fear the jagged worm will turn red and dive below. Earth’s Death - a worrysome thing, best left to those kids of tomorrow. The same kids down on the street playing with sticks and making shooting noises or just crying and waiting for their first tooth to grow. Ah - hmmm yes leave it to them. Barry bring me the latest figures. How is our growth margin this sector? Steve - Go fetch me a coffee. What do you mean the printer’s broken? Well now, don’t just fucking stand there have someone fix the bloody thing.
       Printer’s broken. System’s broken. When something breaks you either fix it or throw it on the pile and forget about it. Get a new one. People all over the place seem to be waking up to the fact that the machine has broken down. No longer is it economical, no longer is it efficient. It is cumbersome and outdated. Obsolete technology from days of buckshot and steam. Strong vibrations from the grassroots of Man, fed up with the mess of the old machine. Voices growing louder and no-longer suppressed due to the Key from God, the Internet. Loud strong voices spreading like wildfire, uphill and with endless fuel.
So maybe that’s it. 2012. Out with the old and in with the new. Seasons after fire the landscape becomes green and flourishes. New life, birds singing, fresh air and food to eat. The aborigines knew this. They were wise - are wise, and we should listen to them. Rainbow-serpent rumbling with the tractor on his back, crow’s feathers turning black. Take your fingers off red buttons you sad and crazy men. Give peace a chance - all you need is Love. The hippies were right, and so are the people in the Middle East who are dying daily to be Free. The Dragon with the arrow in his heart dies with flailing rage and fire and claws and teeth, so beware, but a dead dragon troubles the villages no more, and his piles of treasure are everyones to share.

Just Like Writing in the Sand...

In the June of 2007 the government under John Howard declared a national state of emergency in the Northern Territory, staging a massive intervention under claims of widespread child abuse, as well as an epidemic of alcohol, drugs and violence. In little time, the government moved into action, sending in the troops to seize 73 remote aboriginal communities and install white officers to take control of them. Draconian new laws were introduced in the communities, and 50% of welfare payments cut off , further increasing poverty and disenchantment. Community leaders and village elders were at no stage consulted before the implementation of this policy. In order to implement this program, known as the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Plan 2007, the government "suspended" the Racial Discrimination Act of 1975, due to the laws included in this act protected the aboriginal people from discrimination and compulsory land acquisition. They also created new legislation to circumvent the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976.

The government went on a media frenzy at the time, proclaiming boldly the state of a national emergency. The media circus was headed by PM John Howard and the former Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Mal Brough, who declared on ABC Radio that "Every single one of these communities has a number of active pedophiles in them". A statement that turned out to be a blatant lie. Following three formal police investigations, a number of 7,433 children where checked for signs of sexual abuse, of which only four children showed any sign that they may have been abused.

The government came in with promises to improve medical facilities and education and childcare, bringing in with them a budget of 672 million dollars to spend on building these new facilities and more houses for people to live in. What they didn't tell us is that the communities are being bribed. The government is refusing to build houses and infrastructure unless the lands that the aboriginal people had won back from 1976 onwards , and after "Terra Nullius" was overturned in 1992, is handed over to the government on a 40 year lease. They are being forced to give away their homelands and their rights in the name of a handful of cheap demountables. Quite a number of communities have been essentially forced to give up their land rights, such as the Guliwinku people in Arnhem Land, who signed off the rights to their land in exchange for a promise of 50 new homes, which the government later downgraded to 15. As of yet, no homes have been built for them, and in actual fact the number of homes built for the 73 indigenous communities of the NT is less than ten all up. Meanwhile, over 75 homes have been built for the police and federal forces who have assumed control of the communities.

Conditions in these settlements are still very grim. Alcohol and drug use is still rampant, and old ways are getting lost to the ugly side of westernised culture. Australia is the only "civilized" country yet to have eradicated the blindness-causing eye infection trachoma. Other diseases and infections are widespread, especially among the kids. Diabetes is also at staggering levels due to processed food and soft drinks sold at the shops in the communities, which by chance happen to carry the highest prices for groceries of anywhere in Australia. We are a rich country, and yet we hide the third world in our backyard. Australian indigenous life expectancy is the lowest of all global indigenous peoples, being some 17 years less than that of Australian white people. Child mortality rates are three times higher than that of white Australians also.

More and more aborigine families are being forced into these settlements from their traditional homelands and healthy age-old lifestyles as the government forces them out to make way for mining projects to dig up more uranium to provide for the obviously retarded nuclear industry. It seems uranium is worth more than the livelihood of these people, more than their freedom. This is what this whole thing is really about, and it's so blantantly obvious and contemptible it makes me sick. Where is the TV media on this one? No surprises actually.

I just cannot believe that this is still happening in this day and age, where our government claims things like "a land of opportunity", "equal rights", "justice", "freedom". Bullshit and hypocrisy. It's the same racist fucking system as it was when the constitution was made back in 1900. Even after the Mabo case, and giving them the right to own land and vote and saying "sorry", our Aborigines are been faced with what can only be described as genocide. Their situation continues to get worse. Australia is the only Commonwealth country without a bill of rights or a constitution for the rights of the people. Some democracy, hey?!

Still we take their land and their dignity and their way of life, forcing them to live in filth and poverty in mission camps at the fringes of our highly civilized lie. Out of sight, out of mind, out of the way so we can mine. Because, fuck it. Human rights don't fill the coffers and keep an economy strong do they? We must ensure that those numbers stay green so we can call ourselves brilliant world leaders and responsible economists. Look how smart and strong we are! Yes! Go Australia! Ah yes, Growth! Prosperity! Yay Capitalism!

Yet who exactly is prospering from all this? Sure as hell isn't those poor bastards whose land they steal, that's for sure. Is it You, or Me? No. Well, maybe. Spare a little caviar for the locals wont you, ERA and Rio Tinto? It's the least you can do.

Below is a documentary called "Our Generation". It is ESSENTIAL viewing for every single Australian. Please watch it.. Follow the link below. Watch it, show your Mum, tell your pals. Do it.

http://thoughtmaybe.com/video/our-generation 
http://thoughtmaybe.com/video/our-generation 
http://thoughtmaybe.com/video/our-generation 
http://thoughtmaybe.com/video/our-generation 
http://thoughtmaybe.com/video/our-generation 

I'm Sorry.

Generation One.
TREATY 

At the Going Down of the Sun...

...We will remember them.

As indeed we must.

On distant fields they fought and died,

and did it just for us.

Australian and Kiwi sons,

Hearts brave and true

On distant fields they fought and died

For their country,

For me and you. 

So.
Let us remember them

And learn from them some lessons.

They fought for freedom,
Stood tall through fear.

Taught us that we all can be heroes,

Brave sons and daughters,
Just like you and me.

In their stories and their memory

lies our very history.

Therein lies the Australian Spirit,

Unbreakable and strong.

Even in the face of death,

When all hope seems gone.

Through their sacrifice,

We have also learned

Of the ugliness of war.

The Hatred and Fear.

Death.

The need to kill somebody

Just the same as you..

Innocence and lives lost,
At Immeasurable cost

On distant fields so far from home.

War.

What is it good for? 

Absolutely nothing. 

Though some things are worth fighting for.

We will remember you.

Brave Diggers,

Sons and daughters.

Lest we forget what you fought for,

Lived and died for.

We stand together in remembrance.

We salute and thank you.

We owe to you our Australian Spirit.

So raise a glass, hands on hearts,

And Advance Australia Fair.

Lest we forget.

The Climate Change Debacle

Hello all. A long time between drinks indeed. I've been wrapped up trying to finish this book that I'm writing, but anyway, I'm back!

There's been a lot of debate over the last few weeks about the government's proposed carbon tax. It's a contentious issue, and everybody seems to have an opinion on it,so I'm going to throw my hat in the ring here. I went along to the pro-tax rally up here in Brisbane last weekend. 4000 people turned up in support, which tells me that there are a lot of people out there keen for green energy and looking after our big blue home better.
      
I do like the tax in theory. Apart from a small percentage of dinosaurs and rich businessmen, (and the federal opposition, it seems), who still refuse to believe the facts concerning the effects that carbon emissions are having on our climate, I recokon 95% of people want to see a move away from fossil fuels towards the renewables like solar, and at least a concerted effort to clean up our act in general. The government has proposed that the top 200 polluters in the industry sector be made accountable for the damage they are doing, and pay for it accordingly. And why not? It is they who are doing the majority of the damage to our environment and our air supply, and they are making a good deal of money in the process, so I see no problem with that proposal.

I am worried about this thing though. I just can't bring myself to trust it. I think it has been rushed in without any real planning, I mean it is two months at least since the scheme was announced, and still there is nothing more than hearsay on what it all actually means, what the rate of tax will be or where the money is going to go. I am worried also about the stipulations regarding to be the accountability of the big corporations. This is big business that we are talking about here. These bastards will lie and cheat and steal and just about do anything to keep their profit margins in the green, make no mistake about it. The majority of these companies do have the money also to avoid downsizing their operations, and therefore avoiding reducing their carbon emissions.

I also have doubts about what exactly the government will do with the money gained from the scheme. Common sense would dictate that the money be used to directly fund invenstments in the renewable energy sector and possibly more rebate schemes like the successful solar rebate scheme. This, however, seems unlikely. At best a fairly small cut of the money will be used to make substantial moves forward in this direction. Most likely the money raised will go towards the government's plan to get the nation's budget back to surplus. Funny that. As long as the budget is in surplus it appears, at least figuratively that all of the country's financial issues are sorted and everything is fine and dandy. What the figures don't say though is that the rest of us have less money than we used to. But that's another story altogether.

Unfortunately I feel that the all too likely scenario to come out of this whole fiasco will be this. A relatively small reduction in carbon emissions, higher prices for consumers across the board, escpescially for energy, and fairly poor return towards renewable energy. The government is too cozy in bed with the big polluters because it is ultimately they who are in the drivers seat of the nation's economy.

I have to say that I think this tax will be a failure. I hate to say it and I hope i'm wrong. It will probably make life a little tougher for little result. That being said, I hope that it goes through. Otherwise we are back at square one. At least the foot is in the door now to a cleaner future. Let's get this thing happening and see how it goes and move on from there. There is a long way to go with this fight, so let's take a look and see what happens I reckon. Maybe another rise in energy rates is exactly what we need. Everybody is already pissed off about the price of power these days, so I see another rate hike will do nothing but encourage more people to become involved in the debate and get behind green energy. It's going to be shockingly mismanaged, you can count on that, but at least Gillard is doing something in the name of positivity for once in her life.

Go carbon tax.

A Prayer

O Lord, why is it so?
Why has man gone this way? What is the meaning for all this suffering, all this chaos?
Why ia it so that the evil in man prevails? From heaven it must appear that we are the most depicable things in all creation. From Heaven, we have created hell.
We have been blessed with great intelligence, and a seemingly limitless ability to learn and create and grow. We have evolved oh so fast, my Lord.
We have been blessed with consciousness, the most subtle and sublime gift of all.
This is what makes our plight the worst and least excusable.
We have the power to care, to love, to give. To share and adapt and make the world a beautiful place.
Yet our species is in shambles. We stand at the very edge of damnation, allowing ourselves to be led by those with a thirst for greed and power and blood.
When men become pawns in a game of greed and war and terror and starvation and suffering, well there are no words for it.
I feel great sadness, great anger and fear, Boss. I have finally learnt what the world has become, and suddenly it isn't the beautiful thing I always thought it was.
The beautiful place it should be. And, given time, can and will be again.
For many thousands of years, the people of Earth lived in harmony with the planet and each other.
Sure, men have probably always killed men, but nowadays things are different. At least I hope so.
I believe still in the good in man. In the greater good. Inherently human beings are just and fair and compassionate.
Of course there is the exception to the rule, when evil controls the heart of a man.
I wonder if it is a thing that is there inherent, in the genes and the soul since birth,or if it the world that instills it.
It is also a wonder that these are the people who inherit the power over the rest of us. They are strong, deadly and malicious.
They dominate those with good hearts through fear and lies, with a vast array of tricks and well thought out schemes and the illusions of absolute power.
They say that absolut power corrupts absolutely. Does one come to a position of absolute power without being corrupt to begin with?
I believe that there are those among us without a price, who are stong enough and smart enough to beat these people.People with heart and will and courage who can wrest power from the hands of those who would enslave and kill us all.
It is written my Lord, that the meek shall inherit the earth. This may be true,but it must be the brave and the strong and the humble and true that carry the fight to bring it home for them.
A hundred of the meek can be roused into a strong and proud group, with a collective voice and collective power. A million would be unstoppable.
Strength through unity. we outnumber them a hundred, a thousand even, to one.
right now they have us stranded in a state of apathy, a state of laziness and ignorance.
They are slowly stripping us of the essential things that ultimately make us human.
We are kept from a sense of togetherness by the promotion of senses of difference.
Fearing those who appear to be different from us, but are ultimately the same.
We all want the same things from life. To be free, to be fed, to be loved, to share and give and be happy. We just wanna live.
All of this is possible. All of it. The world can be ruled by Love. It is well within our means to have peace and forgiveness and fairness and rights for all peoples..
It is not too much to ask, it is possible and it is not crazy to think so.
Our big beautiful bright new future will probably not happen in our lifetime, matter of fact it definately won't.
But it has to start somewhere. And indeed it has already begun. People all over the world have had enough of tyranny. People are out on the streets marching for freedom. From Libya to London, even America.
If you don't fight for your rights, there are people who will take them from you and laugh all the way to the bank as they do so.
We're all in this together. Worldwide. We have to be smart and strong. All you need is love kids.
Peace.
Good Lord, bless this house, Selah.

Plastic Fantastic

Plastic. It really is everywhere. Possibly one of man's most important inventions. It has undoubtably been a huge part of our development in the 100 or so years that it has been around, allowing us to move forward in leaps and bounds, in terms of technology and the goods that we use in our day-to-day lives.
       As incredibly useful this stuff is, it has it's downsides. Huge downsides really. Considering that no organisms on Earth have the capacity to break the stuff down, a simple plastic bottle is estimated to have a life span of around 450 years. Even cigarette butts can take up to 20 years to decompose, given the fact that they are largely created from plastic. According to some, styrofoam apparently lasts as good as forever, and glass bottles up to a million years. In essence, just about every single piece of plastic that has ever been made, except for stuff that has been burned, still exists today. Most of it makes it's way over the course of it's lifetime to the place that is downhill from everywhere, the ocean. The UN released some statistics a couple of years ago that blew me away more than a little. They estimate that for every square mile of ocean in the world, there are around 46,000 peices of plastic in it on average. Either floating or on the sea bed. Nasty stuff dudes.
       Only around 46 percent of the plastic we dispose of actually gets recycled here in Australia. While this is indeed a pretty good figure in contrast with most of the world, especially in comparison to the US's shocking 5 percent, a lot of what we actually throw away makes it's way to landfill or the sea.
      It's all pretty bad and fucked up for the planet, but it's actually not all doom and gloom. There are several new sciences devoted to the relatively new technology of biodegradable plastics, which are being created with all kinds of materials, from orange peels to chook feathers, marking a separation from the current methods, with which plastic is created using fossil fuels, most notably crude oil and natural gas. Finite resources with a limited lifespan. Even Sony, one of the technlogogical superstars of our world, who pruduce plastic goods on a tremendous scale, have begun to get on board and are utilising the new degradable plastics in the creation of their TV's and Playstation 3's. One of the world's leading innovators in renewable plastics is actually an Australian company, named Plantic. The dude who makes it even eats it to show that it is non toxic and completely biodegradable. This is great news!
        But there is a long way to go, and the battle is not yet won. There is still alot of near indestructible plastic being pumped out, still a lot of waste. Truth be told, it will get a lot worse before it get's better. All that we can do as consumers is to be watchful and clever about it. Always try to recycle, take your reusable bags shopping, chuck your butts in the bin, etcetera etcetera. You know the drill. It's imporant though. The old adage still stands. Don't shit where you eat. So let's all try not make a mark as long as we can help it.
        Good ol' Clean Up Australia have put together a little fact sheet with a bit of extra information and some tips to cut down on your waste. You should look into it! Riiiiiight here,
http://www.cleanup.org.au/PDF/au/cua_plastic_recycling_fact_sheet.pdf      
       And guess what? Another supersweet doco for you freaks! Bonus Bonanza! Huzzah! This one is actually pretty good. A Canadian bloke goes all over the world finding out the story of plastic and the effects of it. He also uncovers some of ways that it is being reused and recycled, and spends some time on the new technologies and stuff. Recommended.
 


Here's a few more video's for those interested, courtesy of my friend Danica, specifically to do with the giant garbage patch floating out there in the middle of the Pacific.
http://www.tedxgreatpacificgarbagepatch.com/category/watch-our-videos/
.... And thanks to Frazzy for this Awesome VBS special
http://www.vbs.tv/en-gb/watch/toxic/toxic-garbage-island-1-of-3

Peace.

Fracked.

Right now we have a whole new environmental war spilling over onto our shores. State and Federal government have recently approved applications from major gas and energy companies, which enable these companies to have access to a vast amount of land, right across Australia, including thousands of properties, national parks, the lot. These lands are to be used for the development of the new goldmine for mining and energy, coal seam gas.

It is being pushed forward under the guise of being a new fix-all green energy, when in fact this statement could not be further from the truth. It is also marketed as being carbon-free, and therefore supposedly the way to reduce the effects that current fossil-fuel technologies are having in terms of global warming. Also a misleading statement. Though indeed carbon-free, the problem is merely replaced with another problem gas, methane, which is a byproduct released into the atmosphere in tremendous quantities during the process. Methane is also a greenhouse gas, equally as nasty as carbon dioxide.

This gas lies under a vast amount of land, deep below the earth. Several companies, such as QGC, AGL and Origin Energy, amongst others, share private ownership of these resources, which lay deep below the earth and rock. This in itself is a travesty, as all natural resources in our soils should be held in the public domain. In many, many cases, the gas lies directly beneath farms and communities.

Many farmers are being offered seemingly lucrative "compensation" packages by the companies to be allowed onto the privately owned properties and extract the gas below. Quite often the spokespeople of the companies offering said compensation, are doing so with a great deal of misinformation and non-disclosure of important information.Smoke and mirrors and persuasion.

The gas itself is mined by setting up a bore to dig a well deep down into the earth, where coal seams are located. The gas is extracted from the surrounding rock by pumping huge amounts of water in combination with, in a lot of instances, a combination of salt and chemicals specifically designed to fracture the rock, known as "fracking fluid", to shatter the rock below in order to release the gas.

A vast amount of water is required for the process. The project in Queensland alone will reqire the use of 45,000 gigalitres. That is 450,000,000,000 litres of fresh water. Four hundred and fifty billion litres. Only half of this water will be returned to the water cycle. This will lead to a MASSIVE drop in the water table, most notably in the Great Artesian Basin, which provides the vast majority of fresh drinking water for the people of Queensland. And we wonder why the water companies have recently annonced a planned hike in the price of drinking water. The other half of the water is permanently infused with the multitude of chemicals used in the fracking process. These chemicals do not break down naturally, and are highly poisonous.

These chemicals are used to dissolve and shatter rocks. They are terribly dangerous for humans  and wildlife. Many of these chemicals are carcinogenic and present in high doses. The waste water, or as the industry has tagged it, "produced water", is pumped back into the earth, where it runs the very dangerous risk of intermingling with the groundwater and thus entering the natural water system. Needless to say this is potentially very very dangerous for the ecosystem, and people and communities in the areas affected. Quite often excess waste is dumped in fields and streams, which is even worse. It is all pretty horrifying stuff and I am not making this up.

In quite a few instances, the gas itself has been escaping through the water system. Some farmers, who's lands have been used as sites for the wells and gas pipelines, are able to actually set their tapwater alight as it comes out from the tap. The gas itself has various extreme health problems associated, such as cancer on the brain, amongst other things.None of this is disclosed to the public of course, and the companies are in a state of denial and inaccountability.

So how can all this be happening? It just shows how weak courts and governments are in comparison to big business. These companies have successfully forced new laws to be passed exempting themselves from normal standards regarding to drinking water standards and those regarding the environmental impact of the project. There are not regulated at all, and their chemicals are not up to any real scrutiny. They almost have complete impunity from the law or regulation, and do not recognise normal laws of disclosure. It is ugly and has to be stopped. Our whole backyard, beautiful Australia, stands to be raped beyond recognition, and our farmers are set to be pushed out of their livelihoods forever. Our health and way of life is at threat.The air we breathe and the water we drink will be poisoned.

There are plans for around 40,000 wells in Queensland alone, and a similar amount in New South Wales, indeed no state will be unaffected. A site is even proposed merely 20 kilometers from Warrigamba Dam, which is the prime water supply for Greater Sydney itself..

A couple of weeks ago, 4 Corners did an expose on the subject, which you can and should watch online  HERE,
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/special_eds/20110221/gas/default.htm

The indusrty is a carry over from the United States, where the industry has been going on across the nation for quite some time now. The situation over there is grim, and stands as a dire warning for what may be to come here, if the goldrush for Coal Seam Gas gains full flight here in Australia. There are some real lessons here that we simply cannot ignore.

The following movie shows how the Natural Gas battle is having some horrific effects on the people of rural America. It was even nominated for an Oscar, apparently. It's well made and is absolutely essential viewing. It's Called Gasland. You should watch it.



THIS IS SERIOUS!
So tell your friends and your government or your local member how you feel. http://www.directory.gov.au/quicklinks.php?agency
 TAKE ACTION, SIGN A PETITION OR TWO!
QLD: https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/EPetitions_QLD/Confirmation.aspx?PetNum=1592&lIndex=-1
NSW: http://huntervalleyprotectionalliance.com/


This just in! I've just been sent a link to another blog with heaps of further information... go here.
http://frackedagain.blogspot.com/2010/11/no-worries-fracking-down-under.html

Reasons for Ranting

I tend to rant pretty heavily about Governments and Corporations and the Banks. Between these guys and market economists they have deivised and incorporated the current system of "growth" and money that dictates every single facet of the way our society works, hidden behind a web of lies and trick and decietful language and flat out social engineering. It's no help that the own the Law, too. It's ugly stuff. And unless we wake up and realise it and do something about it, its going to end badly. I don't know what is to be done, but it has to be soon and it has to be done by the numbers. Otherwise our kids will beat the shit out of us for being so fucking useless probably just before the whole world goes straight to hell. Anyway, I just want everybody to know all this stuff and be aware of it and be angry about it. It's serious shit we're talking about here. Life seems pretty good here in Australia, but it will get worse and worse and worse if it keeps going the way it is. It cannot get better unless we change the whole fucking system. Do yourself a favour and watch this video. It's important. it pretty much covers EVERYTHING. Gotta fight for our right to party yo. Sooner or later we're going to have to hit the streets. Fuck these clowns, let's take it back!

The Gap

We've all heard about poverty in various parts of the world, seen the images of the starving kids and felt terrible about it. It usually comes to us in the ad-breaks and is soon forgotten when the mainshow comes back on. Just about anybody in possession of a soul feels terrible when confronted with it. Because it is fucking terrible. More than half of the population of our Earth is in real poverty. This number is on the increase, and steadily and still the rich get richer.
How did all this mess come about?
In short it is the long-lasting legacy of colonialism and the enforcement of the bogus worldwide monetary system which cripples the world. Governments around the world are kept in line through their ever-growing debts to the World Bank and the IMF. It may seem like Bank-Bashing is a recurring theme around here, and I'm on some sort of moral crusade to tear it all down. The fact that they can be held accountable for most of the worlds problems might have something to do with this. The System is the whole reason why the whole world's up to shit and I'm sure as buggery not just going to sit on my hands and shut up about it or ignore it because we're all suffering for it while they stuff their pockets and laugh as they treat the whole world as a giant concentration camp. Slavery still exists, it is worldwide and is going on under our very noses.
We are lucky here in Australia that we possess a wealth of resources and an exceptional infrastructure. Also we are lucky that we too are a colonial power. The Aborigines, not so lucky. Indeed, great numbers of them fall into the same position of those in the poorer, "less developed" countries in Asia, South America and especially Africa where poverty is rife and damn near inescapable. Places where governments are easily bought and sold and the people pay the price. They have lost their ancient far superior ways of life to work too hard for scarce peanuts and are forced to rape their lands (or have them stolen from them) of all available resources to meet the needs of the greedy consumers in the Capitalist West and line the pockets of corporations and bankers. It is a well oiled machine of debt, bribes, threats, starvation and death that will continue to worsen as long as the current system remains in place.
You may have noticed that it is getting tougher for a lot of people in your country also. Does it look like improving or worsening? But anyways. This here below is a really good documentary, and Martin Sheen tells the story much better than I do, so cook up some popcorn and take an hour and a half break from the TV and Facebook and check it out...



"And yes I'll recognise the irony,
the system I oppose
affords me the luxury
of biting the hand that feeds.

That's exactly why
privileged fucks like me
should feel obliged to whine and kick and scream,
'til everyone has everything they need".

-propagandhi. 

Food, Glorious Food!

Ah food. Without it we die. And since we are largely restricted from practising the hunter-gathering traditions of our ancestors by our modern-day surrounds and society, we rely on other people to do all that groundwork for us. And that's all cool, it's easier and smoother and saves us our spare time and everybody wins. Provided, of course, that the food we are given access to is legit and good for you and the world we live in. Not too crazy a request, surely. That the food we eat be natural and Good in general. I mean, it's important. Eat well, feel well, live well. It's pretty interesting to see where all our supermarket tucker comes from, not to mention downright scary.

The food industry is a massive business, and believe me their main intersts are sure as hell not always with the health of the consumer or the welfare of the animals it processes. Crops and animals are loaded with all kinds of crazy additives and hormones and chemicals and God-knows-what that appear on the "Ingredients" column on the side of the packet as a list of strange unknown-things. I mean, what the fuck are "maltodextrin" and "dextrose", and why are they in my Fully Loaded can? Everything is geared towards efficiency and profit to the head corporations above all else.

It is important to know what you are eating and where it comes from. There is a really good documentary about all this that has come out recently, called Food, Inc. It's a bit crazier in America than it is here in Australia obviously, but the story still rings true, and we need to make the right choices to ensure that the same doesn't happen here. It's as easy as buying organic and natural goods. Vote with your dollar at the supermarket or wherever it is that you do your shopping. Too easy. Anyways, I highly recommend watching it here, it paints the full picture and tells it how it is. No bullshit.

All these years of work by the World Health Organisation, in the supposed aims of making our food safe and healthy for us, and for what? We are fat,depressed and sick. New diseases seem to be popping up all the time. Good job, WHO

More good news! The WHO is currently pressing new guidelines to "Better" our health. Does the term Codex Alimentarius mean anything to you? No? In essence it is a group of delegates in Europe, sponsored by the WHO and the UN, who are in the business of making regulations in terms of the vitamins, nutrients and supplements we are provided with. In Europe in the last few weeks, a mass ban is being implemented on a huge range of natural remedies, vitamins and dietary supplements. Er.... What? You can't tell me that Echinacea is more harmful than prescribed antidepressants. Get out of my house with your bullshit. It's base is in the Pharmaceutical Industry, and it has some pretty serious implications. Please read and watch This Video, it explains it in proper detail. To get an idea of how this may affect us here in Oz, read a full report Here. Pretty fucking grim, dudes. Brave New World kida shit. This is our HEALTH at stake.

You are what you eat, yo.

Yo

Hello all, as you may have noticed things have dried up a little round here lately. I've recently moved house and things have been a little hectic, but I'm good to go now and ready to get back amongst it. You may have heard a bit about the Egyptian Revolution, and not know really what to make of the mixed reactions in the media. Once again Al Jazeera has delivered the goods on this one, take some time and watch the interview and it will change your whole perspective on shit. I say good on Egypt, shame on the USA and long live democracy.

HERE!

Weekly Worldnews Roundup 1

Welcome to the first edition of the Weekly Worldwide Roundup. Just a bit of a rundown over what's been happening around the place over the last week or so. I've dug up a few interesting articles and things for you to look at, so check 'em out! Anyways, here goes...

It has been an interesting newsweek worldwide, especially in the Middle East and Africa, particularly in Egypt, Yemen, Jordan and Algeria, where people have been inspired by the successful recent uprising in Tunisia, which resulted in the countries president Zine El Abdine Ben Ali fleeing the country and the entire parliament being sacked. (Read on)

For four days has the battle raged on between the people of Egypt and the Government and Police Force. The riots are in direct response to the massive unemployment, rising food prices and poverty that the majority of people find themselves in, and they have had enough. The government has completely cut off all internet and media in an attempt to curb the uprising, but have been unsuccessful in stopping the protests. (More here, and here).

For more info relationg to the unrest in Yemen, Jordan and Algeria, go Here.

In Lebanon, a strange paradox, with people actually out on the streets in the name of the heavily sectarian Hezbollah Organistion, which has been named by the U.S. and others as being a terrorist organisation. It's pretty hard to know what to make of it all, but a full report can be found here.

A referendum has been held in Sudan this week, with the country's South going to the polls for a secession (Separation from the north), in an attempt to form their own government and become an independent state due to the ignorance shown to their plight by their government. Whether this turns out for good or ill, we shall see, the country of Sudan has been in turmoil for years and knows bloodshed all so well. Further opinions and the bigger picture can be found at Global Voices.

In the US, most news is centred around Barack Obama's annual State of The Union Address, which he gave on thursday. Reviews are a bit mixed it seems, particularly in terms of the budget and how realistic his economic plans actually are, and his approach to tackling the massive debt the country is in. More here. Barck Obama's full speech can be found right here.

Back here in Australia, political news has been dominated by the new tax being brought in on high-income earners to help with the Queensland flood crisis, and the other long and short term effects of the floods across the board, and assessments of the damage. Gillard is due to face some opposition to this tax, as is to be expected, but strangely enough I think it's a good idea. Elsewise everybody's going to have to pay, low earners included. Fact of the matter is, somebody's got to pay for it, and the Government doesn't have any fuckin' money. More comprehensive coverage here, and here. 

Anyways that's just about it for this weekend's edition. Hope you all had a great Australia Day!

Ways Forward

We all know the serious implications and effects of our reliance on fossil fuels and the impact this causes on our Earth. The Governments of the world continue to be bogged down in the seemingly unending question of whether climate change is actually real or not. The question has pretty much lost it's relevance in the real world. We need to clean our act up or the planet is doomed. Everybody knows it, so the time has come to actually do something about it. They talk and talk of introducing new measures to cut carbon emissions down, but nothing ever seems to happen. In my opinion, they are barking up the wrong tree anyway. The way forward is to sponsor new, sustainable energy sources. In this way, by promoting the growth of green energy, fossil fuels and their sources will be pushed out of the market. It may take time, but it seems like we don't have a great deal of it. That's why it is important that the Government gets behind these new technologies to give them the boost that they need the Earth needs and we need , to take the country forward towards sustainable living. And who knows? It might actually work and inspire other countries to do the same thing. Why not?
   
It just so happens that we have the technology available to solve all of our problems. An initiative in "Solar farming", which is effectively just what it sounds like, could provide enough electricity to power the nation. We get a lot of Sun here. Just by harnessing the key forces of Nature, we can learn to live with her. Sun, Wind, Earth and Sea.
    
Wind is harvested primarily in Europe through the use of massive windmills. Although the technology itself seems to need a bit of an improvement due to the comparatively low, but still quite impressive amount of energy it can generate, in areas of high wind, it can be extremely viable, and science is always on the improve.
   
Geothermal Energy works primarily on the concept of drawing heat from the Earth and converting it to power, using steam. This technology also looks quite promising, but limited. There is still a bit of improvement in terms of the amount of power produced, but the industry is still in it's very early days and can only improve from here. We are also hampered here in Australia in terms of location. The Earth's crust is deep here, and the heat required lies quite far below the surface. But still there are a few Aussie companies involved, and they will do well.

Another new technology harnesses the endless energy of the sea and rivers with the use of underwater turbines, called Hydroelectric power. There are more and more ideas popping up these days, and people and scientists are cottoning on to the idea of renewable energy and living with the earth. By far the most advanced technology available is the power of the sun. Solar energy is definitely the way forward for Australia. There is a lot of money and improvement in the industry at the moment, the biggest supporters, producers and investors being none other than the Chinese. We could power the nation with it. All we need is the political will, and of course the money to make it happen across the board.

For more information about renewable energy, read on here...

http://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-energy/
and here...

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/

Basking in the blissful Glory of Capitalism

ahhhh.... Late night, full of red wine and whiskey, and what to talk about? Lots on my mind lately, too much I spose. How about Capitalism. Man these fat cats sure do have their claws in deep. They control our TV, Newspapers, Education, our MINDS, our MONEY. They, (The Reserve Bank, mostly, but not only), just about own us. We are enslaved in the pursuit of of our Freedom, all locked in to the fight for survival and money to keep us afloat. Just about all of us have debts of some kind, things to do, people and places to see. All made so much more difficult by the interest rates we have to pay and the fucking Goddamn TAXES. Taxes, man. Pretty much all the tax we pay does NOT go to the things we expect it to. Schools, health, education, infrastructure. All that shit that needs a boost and improvement. But no. Instead it all goes to those evil fuckers at the BANKS. They create the money, adding interest and creating inflation, making the dollars we have worth less and less. Interest is the biggest scam on Earth and it kills me to know these Pigs have been getting away with it for so long. The bank creates money for governments, charges interest on it, and guess who foots the bill for the debt created? Us, that's who. We provide the wealth of the nation, but not enough to pay our debt back to the Banks fast enough.

Say there is only one dollar in existence, and the bank expects 10% interest, where does the extra 10% come from? Well, you'll have to ask the bank for another loan, just to pay it back. Too bad the next loan also has interest, and the cycle continues. Oh yeah, sounds pretty fucking fair. The system works so as to create debt, money owed that does not exist, and condemn us to a life of servitude through their clever evil scheme. These sneaky conniving little fuckers are the reason we're all in the state we're in. The people who control the money in a capitalist society control EVERYTHING.

Well fuck them, fuck all that horseshit. Fuck their fossil fuels, their interest rates and Fuck their attempts at globalisation and taking over the world. It sure isn't easy to escape the game, and, after all, my Hypocrisy knows no bounds. I'm as stuck in the system as anyone else, but the sooner we all know what goes on and how, and the more people that know, the sooner we can stand up to these dictator arseholes in their Ivory Towers, and take the world back for the Good guys. They ain't got us yet. Capitalism will go the way of Rome. Greedy and evil men Fail, empires fall.

res ipsa loquitur.

read on... Dare Ya,
http://www.prisonplanet.com/and-now-for-my-next-magic-trick...-no-inflation.html
(copy, paste)

Super, man

Until just recently I had no idea about superannuation. I just thought that it was money that came out of your pay and came back as pension after 60. Turns out it doesn't quite work that way. Your super fund uses your money to make investments in the share market. Depending on your fund, you may win or lose. Some super funds invest in high-risk stock. It pays to do some homework on your fund, and to give them a call and find out exactly what it is they are doing with your money. With some super funds, it is possible to manage your own investment. What I mean by this is that some funds allow you to have some flexibility in the shares that your super is invested in. This can be pretty risky, and should not be entered lightly. That being said, it gives you control over your own money, and, if you are entrepreneurial enough, do your research and excercise a little foresight you can do well.

Quite alot of people have super left over from various jobs in separate super accounts. This is bad news, as super accounts charge fees. Small separate funds get charged fees by each superfund, and your money will get eaten fast. One account, one fee. It will save you money in the long run. This is one of the major ways super funds make money. Through people not paying attention. If you are anything like me, you probably don't know where all your super is, with which funds, and how much. One way to find out is the Super Seeker tool offered by the Australian Tax Office. All you need to know is your Tax File Number, and it will do the looking for you. This finds out if you have any money lost in old super accounts you may not have known about. Here's the link.... http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.asp?doc=/content/33301.htm
Your current super fund, or whichever one you choose to be your primary fund, may even be able to do this for you and consolidate all your super into one account for you. This depends on the fund, but it can't hurt to ask.

The bottom line is not to trust your super fund with your retirement money without doing your homework and keeping an eye on it. Be a rich pensioner, get a sweet campervan.

For more info about super and the logistics of how it all works in more detail, start here....
http://www.understandingmoney.gov.au/content/consumer/financialliteracy/superannuation/
(Courtesy of The Australian Gov't).

Spare a thought for those in the floods.

Shopping for Dummies

These days, as everything gets more expensive and we have less money to play with, it is growing more and more difficult to buy Australian made products and support local industry. This problem is compounded by the dominance of the cheaper goods available at chain stores like Coles and Woolworths. These two megacorporations, while they are for the most part Australian owned, make no less than 100 billion dollars in revenue between them each year, and through this money they are able to expand and expand, effectively crushing small businesses and potential competitors out of the market. Within the stores themselves, they offer store-brand goods for as cheap as possible, therefore outselling the local-owned goods on display. It is impossible for Aussie producers to compete in terms of price.

In terms of quality, it is a different story. Many of the el-cheapo Coles and Woolworths brand goods are of low quality, produced overseas and often loaded with preservatives. Their fruit, veges and meat are usually of average or even quite poor quality, especially when compared to virtually any grocer or butcher. This is due to quite a few factors, but possibly most notably the fact that all this meat, fruit and vegetables are kept in cold storage for extended periods, sometimes for periods of over one year. So much for the "Fresh Food People". If freshness and quality is of any importance to you, go visit your local greengrocer or butcher. Chances are whatever you wish to buy will be no more expensive and of far better quality.Perhaps most importantly you will be supporting local industry and business. You will be doing your bit to ensure that these small, local run companies continue to survive in the face of Woolworths and Coles market dominance.

(Update) - I've just been made aware of http://www.aussiefarmers.com.au/ . These guys do it better, fresher and 100% Australian, and deliver food TO YOUR DOOR at no extra cost! Fruit & Veg, Meat, Bread, Milk, the works! Cheer to My old bud Myran for the link http://www.aussiefarmers.com.au/
Please buy Australian made and please support small business. I know that in these difficult economic times it is much easier to buy cheaper imported goods, but it is important to keep our economy as strong as possible by not throwing all of our money into the coffers of massive corporations, instead try to give our farmers, manufacturers and producers support by buying Australian made and owned. It's important. The same goes for everything, whether it be tools (Bunnings is owned by Coles Group also) or furniture or fishing gear, think about what you are buying.

For more information about just how extensive and damaging these companies are, spare a couple of minutes to watch this video, from ABC's Hungry Beast program from last year. Click the link. Do it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnQMOyGeP_I

further reading, courtesy of the Australian  Financial Review site... BOOM!
http://afr.com/tags;jsessionid=1FADA78E0039D0DBC1BA9D75BA1D6453?tag=C_COLES%20GROUP%20LIMITED-CGJ

http://afr.com/tags?tag=C_WOOLWORTHS%20LIMITED-WOW

Welcome

Hey people, I've decided to bring the new year in with a new blog. This one will be a more serious affair. I'll be tending more to real issues both locally and globally and a few ideas and speculations on things. I've got a few ideas about what is really going on here on Planet Earth and I see this as a way of spreading some information and getting us all talking about change. Expect rants, opinions, truth and new ideas. That's the idea anyway. I'll try also to give you some links and stuff so you can do your own research and thinking too.

Anyways, I might get this show on the road with a video. If you've got a spare hour or two give it a watch. It will give you a fair idea of whats going on up there at the top of the food chain and behind the scenes. Pretty scary stuff but the game's not over yet. Anyways give it a watch and make up your own mind. I'll be talking about some of the issues discussed here in the future, among other things you don't really hear much about in the mainstream media. World News with a Jimbo twist. Let's see how we go. Stay tuned!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912#

(Just follow the link above. May seem at first like conspiracy-theory crap, and it's American also, but the information is relevant and legit so give it a shot, and like I said make up your own mind. I'm not sold on a a few things towards the end, but anywho on with the show...