%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |
My thoughts on what's going on |
| This is my thoughts on many subjects, and each item will be added as they are entered. |
| I have just voted in the preselection of my local candidate for the Federal House seat of Dunkley, which is where Frankston is located in Victoria, Australia. One of the things about Australian Elections I am impressed with is the professional way in which they are carried out by the Electoral Commission. Although corruption of the system is possible, it is less likely and most elections are completed without a fuss ( as far as the conduct of the Commision is concerned). The Politician carry on as usual. The other thing that impresses me is the preferential voting system that is used to determine the successful candidate. Along with the compulsory voting, it means that the problems associated with the last US Federal Elections, Florida comes to mind but other states had major issues that I could hardly imagine here in OZ. So next time the elctoral system in the US comes under scrutiny consider the alternative down under and try for a change:) |
| With the Federal Election in Australia moving along with the media now reporting every day we see that the opposition leader Kevin Rudd, former diplomat and member of Parliament is leading the Prime Minister as preferred PM by a large margin in the Poles. Vitriol spews from Alexander Downers mouth at Mr Rudd without his Lordship Downer knowing how ironinc he sounds. And all of this and more is mirroring what is happening in the US Presidential election with one lame duck President and an opposition lead Congress it is proving interesting to say the least. Downer's spray at 'vain'foe by Dan Box indicates the Government (Downer is Foreign Minister) hasn't got a clue, least of all Alexander Downer himself who, from years of observation, apears to be the vainest of all MP's. Talk about the Pot calling the Kettle Black.Still, we have sometime to go until an election Has to be called. Unlike the US we follow the UK of course and Parliament decides via the PM and the Governor in Council. The PM himself can't call an electon. Which is a good check on power I think. We wil see how things develop, but I expect silly things from the Politicians and we haven't been disappointed. Last week Kevin Rudd got involved in the Seven network making a false dawn service for ANZAC day. That at the time when John Howard MP PM has ramped up Patriotism to an irrational level just like the US. |
| Just recently there have been a number of issues surround ing truth in non-fiction stories and fact in fiction. What are the boundaries and limits for writers and how do we approach creative non-fiction where real historical and even contemporary figures are involved in the plot? When one sets out to write historical fiction, I should imagine you start with some research of the history books, newspapers and other rescourses to get a feel for the times and environment your characters have to live in. Invariably you can include real world stuff, or historical facts peripheral to the story, unless your main character is an historical person. This is where a good editor and advisers can help, after all you wouldn't want to have some relative or historian having a go at you or do you? There are many examples of Historical Fiction and even some examples of Fiction masquarading as Historical Fact. The problem for the writer is that the Historian rarely gives the reader a feel for life in the times they are set for most ordinary people, simply because history is written by the rulling classes of themselves, only recently have attempts been made to address this gap in the historical discussion. |
| I am getting a bit frustrated with the amount of time I spend earning a quid (dollar), so I bought a notebook computer to take with me. Now, when it gets quiet (I drive a taxicab), usually in the early part of the week. I can at least write off line and then post it here when I get home or before I start. This machine has a wireless internet capability so in theory I could use the Internet at an available wireless link. Not so, however, the links all require membership or are too week, here in Frankston. I am currently working on a small project concerning the evolution/creation debate, which for those of you in the US it is a familiar issue. I wil be working on that as well as my fiction projects. |
| Are we being lead down the garden path by the Biblical Literalist Christian Right? I firmly believe that facts bare no resemblance to what these people spout to there churchs and the courts.Science only will tells us the how, not the why, not whether or not God is involved. The why and who or what is the realm of Religions and Philosphy, where we don't need to be as strict as science. Science for the most part proposes an hypothesis, observes the natural world, experiments where possible, test hypothesis against the data and forms a theory. Then the wholle process is reiterated until sufficient positibe results establish the theory as representative of the real world. Religions, however, work from sacred texts and rvelation to certain elect officials as a basis of their understnding of the world. The texts, some ancient, use many literary techniques to teach and explain concepts sometimes foreign to the readers closer to the time of the writing. Thus many copying's were done in the days before the printing press. Copyings done by qualified priests and rabbi's who have had many tears preparations for their sacred tasks. Then we have a whole series of scholars who interpret these writings and seek wisdom from them via inspiration and visions. It is not my job to criticise their methodology and a lot of good work has come from much meditation on the ancient writings. Where problems occur is where Man tries to force God into his interpretations and science as well. This is where much is said and many outlandish claims are made, Genesis, or Evolution. Millions of years or 7 Days? Ancient Man or Adam, Pre-Adamites or ex-nihilo creation of man, etc., etc. Contents: 1 Religions and Creations 2 Science Starts and Evolution 3 Modern Scholoship and Practice 4 Creation and Intelligent Design References: 1. https://"http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/behe.html"Irredicible Complexity and Michael Behe. 2. https://"http://www.talkreason.org/articles/HistoryID.cfm"Creationism/ID A Short History, by Lenny Flank 3. https://"http://www.talkreason.org/articles/HistoryID2.cfm"A History of the Intelligent Design Movement, by Lenny Flank 4. https://="http://www.talkdesign.org/faqs/theftovertoil/theftovertoil.html...The advantages of theft over toil: the design inference and arguing from ignorance. One of my Internet friend John S Wilkins and Wesley R Elsberry. Religions and Creations |
| The past few weeks, the Australian Government has made some, what I consider, embarrassing decisions in relation to undocumented aliens arriving on our shore. No sooner had West Papuans arrived then worries about them being interned were found to be baseless and they were all given "temporary protection visas". Then Indonesia complained and withdrew it's ambassador. Much discussion must have gone on in Canberra because a policy change was made to incracerate anyone that arrives "illegally" by boat. Indonesia has not had to answer fro it's treatment of West Papuan, who are native to the area and Melanesian, with no realtionship with the Javanese who are being transmograted to the area, in order to maintain hegemoney and Indonesian Interests in the Area, particularly a large Gold and Copper Mine. So now the West Papuans will have to fend for themselves, we have washed our hands in oreder to placate Indonesia. Do we fear this large Islamic Nation to our North? It certainly looks like it. We need to remember one of the submissions on behalf of the original Papuan refugees recently stated: "One of those submissions argues: "We submit the available country information indicates the applicant will face serious harm in the form of arbitrary arrest and detention, beating, torture or execution at the hands of the TNI [the Indonesian military] and related security forces ..." This was because she had a high profile as an independence activist, has suffered past persecution and had participated in raising the Papuan independence flag in the boat in which she had come to Australia with the other asylum-seekers, a crime in Indonesia for which some of them already had been jailed. The submission referred to a report in Kompas newspaper in January quoting Indonesian Human Rights Commission deputy chairman in Papua, Albert Rumbekwan, saying the families of the asylum-seekers had been "terrorised"." More about West Papua, Solomon Islands, and teh corrupt Immogration Policy of the Howard Government in Canberra Some references: 1. Papua stance not helping Indonesian democrats; Kenneth Davidson see http://www.theage.com.au/news/kenneth-davidson/australias-papua-stance-not-helpi... 2. Villawood detainee attempts self-harm, ABC ONLINE NEWS, Thursday, April 20, 2006. 6:08am (AEST) http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200604/s1619518.htm 3. Mike Steketee: Howard is wrong on refugees, The Australian, April 20, 2006, http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20876,18864015-7583,00.html 4. Mark Forbes, Jakarta attacks Uniting Church over West Papua, The Age, April 20, 2006, http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/jakarta-attacks-uniting-church-over-west-... 5. New Matilda Editorial, 19 April, 2006, http://www.newmatilda.com//home/articledetail.asp?NewsletterID=209&ArticleID=151... 6. ABC Online Wednesday, April 19, 2006. 4:01pm (AEST) http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200604/s1619274.htm 7. UN issues refugee warning to Australia, The Age April 19, 2006 -11:34AM http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/UN-issues-refugee-warning-to-Australia/20... 8. Ruddock 'disappointed' by UNHCR criticism, ABC ONLINE NEWS, Wednesday, April 19, 2006. 7:38pm (AEST) http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200604/s1619426.htm 9. DIMA'S New Culture: Politics as Usual, Senator Andrew Bartlett, Deputy Parliamentary Leader and Democrats Senator for Queensland, Australian Democrats spokesperson for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Dated: 11 April 2006, http://www.democrats.org.au/news/index.htm?press_id=5093&display=1 10: Death report blames Immigration errors, The Age By Jewel Topsfield, April 20, 2006 http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/death-report-blames-immigration-errors/20... |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
