Water, water, everywhere....

Sitting here on the NSW North Coast congratulating myself on the blessed good fortune which meant that the weather has not dealt our region a really bad hand so far this year, it is hard to imagine the extremes experienced elsewhere.

This is the Burdekin Dam, northern Queensland in February 2009.

Thanks to Andrew, Monica, Samantha and Connor for the pics.

Best blog legend found this week

From Monbiot:

"Tell people something they know already and they will thank you for it.
Tell them something new and they will hate you for it."

Best blog comment found this month

From Deltoid:

The Washington Post would decide that George Will is entitled to s*domise puppies live on national TV if they thought they could make money off of it.
Posted by: Dunc February 27, 2009 11:34 AM

Queensland election: LNP candidate a ''serial carpark squatter''

Brisbane's Courier Mail reports that Michael Palmer, Lawrence Springborg's representative for Nudgee, knows a thing or two about bludging.

Palmer, described by the Mail as a "billionaire spawn", has been branded "an arrogant little sod" and a "serial carpark squattter" by a South Brisbane oral surgeon.

The 18-year-old aspiring pollie, and son of the state's richest man Clive Palmer, yesterday plonked dad's golden Mercedes outside the Hope St specialist - where he had no appointment - and wandered off for several hours.

The LNP Nudgee candidate has done this repeatedly in his campaign car, copping a written warning each time, Dr Matthew Voltz told Confidential.

"I thought enough is enough," he said.

When Palmer finally returned, the surgeon approached the Merc to discuss the issue.

But the young man in a hurry "reversed his vehicle away from me, almost driving over me in the rush to escape", Dr Voltz said.

"He saw me coming ... he gave me a wave and I thought, 'You arrogant little sod'.

"I pointed to the sign and said, 'Next time you'll get towed'."

When Confidential contacted Palmer, he said the specialist was "just taking things all a bit too dramatic (sic)".

"It's true that he did knock on the window there but I wasn't really sure what it was about," he said.

"I received the notice there and then I just drove away."

Asked if he'd return to the car space, Palmer spun us a yarn about making an appointment for the specialist next week since he had not been to a dentist in six months.

"I've had a few friends call me and, you know, word of mouth is that they're a pretty good outfit," Palmer said.

Yeah, right, Michael.

They're an oral surgery, not a dental clinic, so you can't make an appointment - you need a referral.

Grocery Choice staggers on

During the entire time the Rudd Government's Grocery Choice has been operating it has only received 68 comments and some of these were from the good folks at Choice who are taking over this website.

If you want to have your say on what information the new look Grocery Choice should contain you can post a comment here.

The latest grocery price breakdown for north-east NSW.
Click to image enlarge.

Teh Ecunomy: Are we scared yet?

Stephen Mayne of The Mayne Report gives us a "chronological version of the losses revealed by ASX-listed companies on Friday, February 27, the very last day of the worst profit reporting season in history" and says that "There's never been a flood of red ink quite like this before."
(Though none of that red appears to be flowing from Pacific Brands which is sacking Aussie and Kiwi workers left, right and centre while sending its famous clothing lines offshore. So come on Cashie give up those Bonds undies!)

Still, despite waking up yesterday morning to a murder of crows yelling RECESSION! on the radio and Malcolm Turnbull acting all coy, I rather think that most of us are as laid back about the economy as Crikey's First Dog On The Moon.

We know it will happen but it doesn't seem that much of a bogey man - yet.

Cancer treatment a scandal on the NSW North Coast

Over the years I have almost become inured to the fact that when one looks at epidemiology data it sometimes appears that there is a causal relationship between where you live and mortality rates.

This week The Far North Coaster brought this possibility home:

Many people in the Far North Coast are missing out on life-saving radiotherapy treatment, so the Cancer Council NSW is asking the public to share their radiotherapy experiences in a one-month call-in to the Cancer Council's Helpline.

In NSW, less than 40 per cent of cancer patients received radiotherapy in 2008, which falls significantly below the internationally accepted benchmark of 52 per cent, the council said.

The Cancer Council estimates that approximately 5000 cancer patients each year do not receive the treatment they require.

It said NSW lacks the capital equipment and radiotherapy workforce needed to meet current or future needs, placing strain on the existing system.

This means some cancer patients are not able to start radiotherapy treatment within the clinically recommended standard of 21 days.

"In many areas, geographical distance creates additional problems for people living in areas without radiotherapy treatment centres," Dr Andrew Penman, CEO at Cancer Council NSW, said.

"The burden of travel, accommodation away from home and out-of-pocket expenses can cause a great deal of stress during an already difficult time."

In some parts of the State, there are only private radiotherapy centres.

Patients without private health insurance either face personal costs of thousands of dollars, or have to travel further from home for treatment that typically ranges from three to six weeks.

Currently there are no radiotherapy services available on the Far North Coast and residents have to travel to Brisbane or Coffs Harbour for radiotherapy treatment in a public hospital.

Consequently, many patients are choosing not to undergo treatment due to transport difficulties.

During the Radiotherapy Call-in, experienced health professionals trained in oncology who staff the Cancer Council NSW's Helpline will answer calls throughout March as part of an initiative to better understand the radiotherapy experiences of cancer patients and their families.

Cancer Council's Radiotherapy Call-in launches on 3 March 2009 and is open weekdays throughout the month, from 9am – 5pm. Callers can contact the Call-in by ringing Cancer Council's Helpline on 13 11 20.

WHAT: Radiotherapy Call-in to Cancer Council's Helpline
WHO: Cancer specialists and health professionals
WHEN: Tuesday 3 March 2009 – Tuesday 31 March 2009, 9am-5pm
WHERE: Across New South Wales. Cancer Council's Radiotherapy Call-in can be accessed from anywhere across the state for the cost of a local call on
13 11 20.

An den iz sed - cats out number p@rn on the Internet?

Salon and Sarah Hepola via a link from Larvatus Prodeo:

For what it's worth, I didn't mean to be a cat person. I grew up with a healthy, sneering disdain for the painfully middlebrow antics of "America's Funniest Home Videos," for the "Hang in there!" posters of kittens clinging precociously to a tree limb. But there was this orange tabby, and blah blah blah, and suddenly my clothes are covered in stubborn fur. Thing is, to be a cat person is something of a private affair. We don't meet at the park and throw sticks. We don't parade our animals down the block or stand around, chatting awkwardly while our pets sniff each others' rear ends. Whatever your cat does -- the way he curls up like a croissant and snores, the way he pads frantically about the bed at 4:30 a.m., paw to your face -- is largely between you and the torn furniture. Which is another reason I think cat culture erupted online, the same reason people get pets in the first place: It's nice to know you're not alone. Other people's cats do this stuff, too.........

In fact, I would submit that cats and kittens might outnumber porn at this point.

"You're probably right about that," says Scott Lamb, a senior editor at the trend-spotting site Buzzfeed. "That might be for the very prosaic reason that producing anything involving kittens is just so much easier than producing porn." After all, we're a nation of shutterbug narcissists, and cats are the closet thing at hand. "Panda ownership is not so common," he says, "but perhaps if it were, panda videos would be even more popular."

Hear that Senator Conroy? We're all probably more interested in kittehs than ti - well you get the picture.

WTF - you can defame a religion now?

The United Nations is a body I have a lot of time for and I'm sorta proud that we Aussies did a lot to get it off the ground and running, and until John Howard came along we continued to fully support its existence and authority.
But.........

This presumably non-binding resolution 62/154 Combating defamation of religions is just a tad too much.
I will happily accept that I would be breaking the law if I defamed a person or incited religious hatred or violence against a person or group; that I cannot do, say or write stuff that racially vilifies or discriminates.
But I'll be b*ggered if I will agree that any religion, philosophy or idea should be treated as a legal person with human rights and that I should mind my Ps and Qs when strongly criticizing the political activities of religious institutions.
If the UN had its way even Good News Week would have to bite its collective tongue on the basis that religious ideology can be defamed in the context of humour.
Half the local pubic bar would have to button lips too because a little blasphemy might get a bloke into trouble - no more Jaysus f**king Christ!

The resolution started life as; "A draft resolution on Combating defamation of religions (document A/C.3/62/L.35) would have the Assembly express deep concern about the negative stereotyping of religions and manifestations of intolerance and discrimination in matters of religion or belief, still in evidence in some regions of the world. The Assembly would further note, with deep concern, the intensification of the campaign to defame religions and the ethnic and religious profiling of Muslim minorities in the aftermath of the tragic events of 11 September 2001. It would also emphasize that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which should be exercised with responsibility and may therefore be subject to limitations according to law and necessary for respect of the rights or reputations of others; protection of national security or of public order, public health or morals; and respect for religions and beliefs."
The UN member countries vote went 95 in favour to 52 against, with 30 abstentions.
Thankfully Australia did not vote for this resolution, but under the Rudd Government is happily shaping up to support it in another form of wording while the UN considers how to implement this daft resolution.

Transcript: UN resolution 62/154 Combating defamation of religions
Still on the subject: The Becket Fund For Religious Liberty.

Update:
The 2009 UN World Conference Against Racism (Durban II) will be held April 20-25.
The draft document to be considered by this conference still includes clauses concerning the defamation of religions and goes even further by including the concept that holy books, scriptures and symbols can also be defamed.

The floods up north are not all bad news

Now that's a big

Isa Barra or two!!

Thanks to the unknown

Mt. Isa ambo for the

pics from Lake

Moondarra.

One of the reasons why Crikey blogs can now be considered mainstream media

I have to say that I don't regularly read Crikey's blogs and therefore have no real idea what went on in the Pure Poison comments section which apparently made News Limited rather irate.

However, even a small blog like North Coast Voices has had a very slight brush with Tim Blair's ever faithful winged monkeys (moron, bonehead, swampy and run for the hills girly man were my personal favourites in reply to Water Dragon's original NCV post mentioning Blair and Bolt), so I wonder if perhaps the News Ltd bloggers didn't get a dose of the general nastiness they have so obviously tolerated/encouraged in their own readership.

It's a sad day indeed when a new blog so quickly falls victim to its mainstream media host's capitulation to Murdoch's bullies:

Things we shouldn't have said about Andrew Bolt

While Crikey (as part of the mainstream media) could be considered obliged to ensure that comments associated with blog posts are neither defamatory nor incite racial/religious hatred or violence of any sort, there was no need for it to give such prominence to its own grovel to a media group which itself often offends in its own slipshod comments moderation.

For the most part I have found the blogosphere to be relatively polite, fair and honest in what it posts online.

Pauline Hanson: I'm baaack!

Pauline Hansen has announced that she is standing for the Queensland Parliament in the 21st March 2009 election.

The flamboyant redhead has updated http://www.paulinehansen.com.au/ and is now seeking donations and selling t-shirts.
Her bio is a bit of a hoot because it currently stops before her last attempt at federal election in 2007.

Pauline is a bit peeved at all the publicity about her last failed bid:

"Once again the question of electoral funding has reared it ugly head, WHY? My running in this election has nothing to do with electoral funding as many would have you believe.I am fed up with the lies, innuendoes, misreporting and blatant attempts to discredit my name and reasons for standing in the election.Independent and political party candidates for the purpose of election funding is eligible to claim reimbursement of election campaign expenses for votes polled if the candidate reached the qualifying threshold (more than 4%) of formal first preference votes in the electorate contested.A Queensland electorate has approx 32,000 voters. Every formal first preference vote receives approx $1.50 per vote from the electoral commission if the candidate reaches over 4%.Any campaign expenses exceeding the electoral funding are not reimbursed. Receipts must be produced for funding reimbursement."

What is missing from her website is any updated policy or promises.

Did she ever really have any?

Beaudesert beware!

Pauline Hanson's TV meltdown video.

"It's been more than a decade since Ms Hanson last won an electoral contest.
That win, in 1996, made her the federal Member for Oxley and marked the start of her political rise that ultimately saw her One Nation Party hold 11 seats in Queensland parliament at its peak.
But since then she's only tasted defeat: in 1998 in the federal seat of Blair, in 2003 as she sought a NSW Upper House seat, and in 2001, 2004 and 2007 vying for a Queensland Senate seat."

The other Mr Billabong falls on tough times

Brisbane's Courier Mail reports:


Former chief executive of Billabong, Matthew Perrin, who made hundreds of millions of dollars from the Aussie surfwear group, is broke.

Perrin today filed a debtor’s petition with the Insolvency Trustee Service of Australia and placed all his corporate entities under external administration.

Mr Graham Starkey of PA Lucas & Co has been appointed as Mr Perrin’s trustee in bankruptcy.

Once a Gold Coast lawyer, Perrin rode the crest of the Billabong wave, selling his shares and making several hundred of millions as a result.

His slide into bankruptcy was caused by his investments in a property and supermarket group located in Xian and Hunan provinces in China.

International Women's Day events in the Clarence Valley, 6-13 March 2009

There is a range of activities during the week before and after 8th March, the official International Women’s Day. Clarence Valley Council and the NSW Office for Women’s Policy are supporting the following events.

Friday 6 March
Breakfast organized by Clarence Valley Women Inc with guest speaker, UrsulaWilkinson.
Grafton Community & Function Centre, 59 Duke Street, Grafton.
7.30 am – 9 am $15 per person or $8 for pensioners/students
RSVP by Tuesday 3 March to Vicki on 0409 035 433 or cvw16@bigpond.com

Saturday 7 March
Breakfast organized by Lower Clarence Women’s Group.
Sassafras Restaurant, 16 Coldstream Street, Yamba.
Guest speaker Pauline Plant - Clarence Valley Citizen of the Year.
Contact: susan.howland@clarence.nsw.gov.au
8 am – 9.30 am - $15 per person or $8 for pensioners/students
Purchase tickets by Friday 6 March at Sassafras on 6646 1011

Sunday 8 March
Iluka women are gathering at the Picnic Area at Iluka Beach with guests Pat Jenkins – ‘Magic of Carbon in our Soils’ & Rivka Forest - ‘The Art of Healing’
10 am -12 noon. Bring your own drinks, folding chair, sun protection. Morning munchies provided.
Contact: Kerrie Howland 0432 665 305 for information.

Sunday 8 March
Lower Clarence Aboriginal Women’s Group invite women to join them for morning tea at the CWA rooms, River Street, Maclean. Contact: Susan on 0427 975 131 or susan.howland@clarence.nsw.gov.au

Friday 13 March
Yamba Evening View Club - Morning tea, two guest speakers, a fashion parade by Clovelly’s of Maclean & Yamba, a light lunch, raffle, lucky door prizes and entertainment.
Treelands Drive Community Centre, Treelands Drive, Yamba
9.30 am – 2 pm. $10 p/person payable at the door
RSVP Anne Dinham on 66462644 or better still email to dinhams@aapt.net.au by Tuesday, 10th March

Some trees are more equal than others or Malcolm Turnbull exposed once more

Not for the first time the suspect nature of the Federal Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Turnbulls' commitment to a sustainable environment comes to light.
First his revelation that planting trees across Australia will save all in the face of climate change and then the media rediscovery of the fact that Turnbull actively support forest logging in the Pacific:
JUST as Malcolm Turnbull tries to outsmart Labor on environmental issues, a file of documents has emerged linking the Leader of the Opposition to a mass logging operation in the Solomon Islands.
The tiny island of Vangunu is a speck on the world map; a dot in the Pacific and home to just over 2000 people. It forms part of the collection of thousands of land masses that make up the Solomon Islands.
Once covered in pristine rainforest, the island and the surrounding Marovo Lagoon were the subject of lobbying by the New Zealand government and environmentalists to have it World Heritage-listed in the late 1980s.
Almost two decades later, the island is again being talked about - only this time for different reasons.
The emergence of a carefully-documented file detailing mass logging operations and the ongoing impacts in the region has Vangunu back in the spotlight.
More specifically, the file - obtained by The Sunday Telegraph - records the involvement of Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull over that time.
Mr Turnbull was the chairman of a company called Axiom Holdings after he and fellow investors purchased a 16.21 per cent stake in the company in 1991.
The company was one of several companies with logging activities in the Solomons.
It was also one of the largest.

One wonders just how long the Coalition king makers are going to tolerate this man, whose diverse financial dealings make him vulnerable to criticism (and sometimes legal action) on so many fronts.

Photograph of Vangunu from Picassa Web Albums

How Internet filters work 101

livefeet2 27/02/09 5:34PM

I was recently denied access to the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) on the grounds that it contained illegal content.

From New Matilda, 25 February 2009