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.