"The Age" gets taken for a ride and creates serious michief along the way

On Saturday 7 February 2009 when Victoria was beginning to reel under the impact of the worst natural disaster in modern Australian history, The Age in Melbourne ran an article which baldly stated: AUSTRALIA has been singled out as a target for "forest jihad" by a group of Islamic extremists urging Muslims to deliberately light bushfires as a weapon of terror.

The group calling for this jihad is supposedly currently active and going by the name Al-Ikhlas Islamic Network and it allegedly posts on the Internet, presumably on a forum website hosted out of Malaysia and written in three or possibly four languages.

The earliest mention of this supposed forest fire jihad that I can find comes from WorldNetDaily in 2003, when it also mentioned: "Australian security authorities are aware of reports that al-Qaida has considered starting bushfires in the U.S. as a form of terrorist attack," said a spokeswoman Australian Attorney General Daryl Williams. "Arson attacks are just one of a wide range of scenarios which have been considered as part of our investigations into al-Qaida's ability to conduct attacks in Australia."

Specific mention of a jihad website occurred in April 2004 when it was reported that: Meanwhile, there is evidence terrorism was behind other wildfires in Europe and Australia last summer.

According to the wingnuts, so far this 'group' appears to be responsible for forest fires in France, Greece, Italy, Australia and the U.S.

It supposedly has a six-point plan which included: setting of fires in the forests – "especially those that provide the American market with the raw materials for the wood and paper and byproducts industries";

The entire forest fire jihad plot was rehashed in January 2008 when WorldTribune ran with it again .

Now there are only 18 terrorist groups officially listed on the Australian Attorney-General's departmental website and none of these are this supposed extremist group.

Indeed if you look for this group on the world wide web it is has a remarkably low profile.
So low in fact that it is only ever mentioned by secondary sources.
It seems to be nothing more than a blustering website, which is sometimes not even online.
A situation which should have alerted The Age reporter to the fact that he might have been building with straw and, that this Internet forum was unlikely to be a group nor a credible threat.

The supposed threat reads more like a post 9/11 urban myth and The Age looks as though it was attempting a potentially divisive, hurtful and downright dangerous beat up.

Snapshot is of The Age article as displayed 10.02.09

Turnbull according to Turnbull [revisited]

As the Federal Leader of the Opposition struggles for political relevancy and dodges the metaphorical rotten fruit thrown his way by irate voters, I thought I might look back on Malcolm Turnbull's political career according to his own website.

In December 2004 Malcolm informed us that he had won the seat of Wentworth, posted his maiden speech and took the fight against a crematorium at Waverley Cemetery to Parliament among other things.

By November 2005 he was defending Israel, restating the case for tax reform, talking about sustainable cities, sending out news letters and helping his dogs launch a website during Pet Week.

Then in December 2006 Turnbull was found posting a National Press Club speech on the drought, writing about saving the Murray-Darling and water scarcity. His dogs have turned into hot canine bloggers.

When December 2007 rolled around the MP for Wentworth (still styling himself Minister for the Environment and Water Resources despite the Coalition election defeat) was firmly into Green House conferencing, communicating by Face Book, YouTube, MySpace and saving whales.

Now in Februaury 2009 one has to dodge a splash screen to enter Malcolm's website, he's added Twitter to his online communicating, he has launched another website Jobs for Australia, he proudly informs us all that he opposes the Rudd Government's second stimulus package and.............. his dogs still blog.

Waverley Cemetery doesn't have a crematorium to this day because council and the electorate were against the idea rather than because the Member for Wentworth opposed the idea.
The Murray-Darling isn't saved from environmental disaster and water is still scarce in the southern half of the continent.

These days Malcolm continues to defend Israel, talk about green house emissions, mention taxes, keep fairly silent on the plight of whales and...............his dogs still blog.

Not much to show for those years in government is it?

Turnbull cartoon from The Brisbane Times

Religious fruitcake's attempt at 15 minutes of fame

Abortion laws to blame for bush fires?

The leader of Catch the Fire Ministries (CTFM), Pastor Danny Nalliah, has made a very bold bid to secure the title of Australian Fruitcake of the Year. Oops, correction, make that Fruitcake of the Century.

Nalliah said he was not surprised by the bush fires because he had a dream last October relating to consequences of the abortion laws passed in Victoria.

In a media release, in which he said "the bushfires are a result of the incendiary abortion laws which decimate life in the womb", Nalliah called upon "all Australian Bible-believing God-fearing Christians to repent and call upon the Lord Jesus Christ for His mercy and protection over Australia once again.

“Yesterday (Monday 9th February 2009), the front page of the Herald Sun newspaper reported “The Darkest hour for Victoria”. A few months ago the news media should have reported “The darkest hour for the unborn” but unfortunately the “Decriminalization of Abortion bill” went through parliament and was passed, thus making many people call Victoria ‘the baby killing state of Australia,’” Mr Nalliah said.

Breath-taking aint it!

Previously, in a biography posted on CTFM's website, Nalliah claimed that he has seen "many blind, deaf, dump [sic], crippled people healed by the power of God ... (and) a dead girl who came back to life, when he prayed for her."

Nalliah has made himself available for interviews. He can be contacted on 03 9794 8211. Readers might care to give the Pastor a call and see what other ratbag ideas he has dreamt up.

Acknowledgement: The image above was sourced from http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/author.asp?id=4177

Boy the Wonder Cat has moved to........Antarctica

I had to try it. Yes, I entered Google Latitude to see what it was all about.
Not being a mobile phone aficionado and having friends with spotty records when it comes to recharging theirs, I could see no reason why I should want to play with this new Google feature.

Then I had a thought. I could use Google to effect a digital house move for Boy the Wonder Cat.

He is now camped down in Antarctica for all the world to see, protesting against Japanese whaling in southern waters.

He is also patiently waiting for Google to update Latitude mapping so that he can move into the comfort of the Australian research station.

Care to join this intrepid little moggie?


Liberated penguins from Asymptotia

Snap! on those annoying spam emails

Snapsam, over at the Stuft blog, has the answer to those fake missing children emails and similar spam which often litter our inboxes.
She directs everyone on the latest email cc list to Snopes.

Sam also composed her own please help email which could be sent in retaliation:

I really need your help….

I lost the keys to my house. They've been missing now for two weeks. Maybe if we pass this email on to everyone we can work together to find them. Even if it goes overseas, who knows they may have been "keynapped" and taken as far away as Canada, India or Mesotaplioma.

With God on our side, they will be found. I'm begging you please forward this to everyone in your address book if you do, your good deed will be payed back to you ten fold.

I don't know how it works it just does. Trust me. Forward this email to all your friends and family and I guarantee they will return the favour by forwarding you all their crap email for the rest of your natural life.

If you forward to >5 people, you will feel like you have lots of friends as they start forwarding you all their spam emails.

Forward to >10 people and your love life will be enhanced by offers of p*nis enlargement therapy.

Forward to >20 people and I will personally come over to your house drink all your liquor and tear your computer out of the wall so you can never forward this crap to anyone ever again.

Malcolm's Minties Moment

The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP, Leader of the Opposition, showing that no matter how important you may believe yourself to be there is always someone to prick the bubble by pointing out that tiny flaw in the argument:

KERRY O'BRIEN: It's potentially misleading, isn't it Mr Turnbull, to suggest that Kevin Rudd is racking up $200 billion of debt, because as you know, right at this moment $115 billion of that debt is debt that comes from a collapse in tax revenue because of the state of the economy.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well Kerry, whatever the causes of the debt -

KERRY O'BRIEN: But he is not wracking it up, is he? He hasn't racked up that $115 billion of lost tax revenue.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Kerry, everybody has to manage their own affairs.

KERRY O'BRIEN: But isn't that right? Just before you go on, isn't that right?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: No, Kerry, Kerry, it is not right. If this country, if we end up with, - look, the Prime Minister brought into Parliament today a bill which would authorise the Government to borrow up to $200 billion. Right. He wants to raise Australia's credit card limit to $200 billion.

KERRY O'BRIEN: $115 billion of that money is the money that has been lost and is being lost in tax revenue because of the state of the global economy. Is that not correct?

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well Kerry, yes, tax revenues are down. But what you saying? That I'm being tough on Kevin because it's not really his fault? Is that what you are saying? Poor Kevin!

KERRY O'BRIEN: I am suggesting that you might be wrong to say that he is personally responsible for the loss of that tax revenue.

MALCOLM TURNBULL: Well Kerry, let me tell you, if you're the Prime Minister of Australia you're responsible for the finances of Australia.

(ABC TV 7.30 Report 4 February 2009)

Andrew Bolt goes too far......

On Aunty's Australian Story last night Herald Sun journalist Andrew Bolt had the hide to complain that science was sensationalising climate change.
The day before he was on his blog complaining that Senator Bob Brown was preaching green politics over the Victorian bushfire fatalities.
This is the same journo who callously wrote that the twenty to thirty sudden unexpected deaths (some probably hastened by the extreme heat wave conditions in the south of Australia) couldn't have died from the 40C plus temps because everyone knows that "Cold, not heat, is what really kills people" and "Those who died last week were in less danger from global warming than from the deadly incompetence of green governments trying to "stop" it".
Who's using sensationalism and politics?
Why Andy is of course - with a thick covering of hypocrisy on top.
No wonder the Herald Sun's circulation figures have been on the decline, advertising revenue down and its parent company is looking a bit sick.

Australian Law Reform Commission does online forum and phone-in on secrecy laws, 11-12 February 2009

Media Release 9 February 2009:

The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) today announced a national two day phone-in and new online discussion forum as part of its commitment to engaging in widespread community consultation on reform of Commonwealth secrecy laws. 

Anyone who has ever been involved in handling Commonwealth information will have the chance to speak out about their personal experiences and concerns in a national secrecy phone-in on Wednesday 11 February and Thursday 12 February. The ALRC is also launching a new consultation vehicle through its Talking Secrecy online forum.

ALRC President, Professor David Weisbrot, said "Consultation is part of the ALRC's DNA and we are determined to use new technologies to expand that process. The online forum and national phone-in together comprise the next critical steps in the ALRC's consultation process following the recent release of the Issues Paper, Review of Secrecy Laws (IP 34, 2008). This paper seeks feedback about how to balance the need to maintain an open and transparent government, while still protecting some Commonwealth documents and information—for the purposes of national security, for example.

"The ALRC now has mapped over 500 secrecy provisions spread across 173 pieces of legislation and these—associated with a myriad of administrative, civil and criminal penalties—present a complex and confusing scenario of options for individuals handling Commonwealth information.

"Some secrecy provisions—normally pertaining to defence and security—regulate the activities of anyone, including the media, who comes into possession of Commonwealth documents or information, imposing obligations on them. If the individual handles the information incorrectly, he or she may face heavy penalties, including jail."

Commissioner-in-charge of the Secrecy Inquiry, Professor Rosalind Croucher, said that the phone-in will enable individuals to speak about their personal experiences with complete anonymity and will assist in shaping the development of proposals, and ultimately recommendations, for workable laws and practices.

"To facilitate more public discussion about secrecy laws, the ALRC's Talking Secrecy online forum will encourage interactive comments and debate that will run the course of the Inquiry. This is a first for the ALRC.

"The ALRC would like to hear people's views about a range of questions such as: do secrecy laws stop you from doing your job; what information, if any, should be kept secret; how easy is it to comply with secrecy laws; when should you be allowed to disclose Commonwealth information; and have you or someone you know been in trouble for breaching a secrecy law and, if so, what happened?"

To participate in the secrecy phone-in call 1800 760 291 between 8:00am and 8:00pm (EST) on Wednesday 11 February and Thursday 12 February 2009 (calls are free from landlines but calls from mobiles will incur a charge).

The Talking Secrecy online forum can be accessed at http://talk.alrc.gov.au.

More information about the Review of Secrecy Laws can be found in the Inquiries section of this website.

NT Intervention: a case to answer

On or about 24 January 2009 the United Nations received a 64-page submission requesting urgent action be taken, under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms Racial Discrimination, against the Commonwealth of Australia and with regard to the Howard-Rudd NT Intervention.

14. This Request for Urgent Action arises from the flagrant breach by Australia of its obligations under the Race Convention. While it is expected that the Australian Government may attempt to modify some measures of the Northern Territory Intervention, the Authors consider that it should remain a matter of serious concern to the international community that legislation overriding the Race Convention can be implemented by the State party with impunity. That is particularly the case when it concerns the fundamental human rights of Aboriginal people. .................
46. Over 70 percent of the Aboriginal people who live in the Northern Territory live on Aboriginal titled land within Prescribed Areas.40 Within those Prescribed Areas, it is estimated that approximately 87 percent of the people living in those areas are Aboriginal Australians.41............
47. The Northern Territory Intervention measures directly affect approximately 45,500 men,
women and children.42
As a result, it is apparent that the Northern Territory Intervention was targeted directly at, and has specifically impacted on, Aboriginal people.

Full submission document is at the National Indigenous Times.

NSW North Coast electorates big winners in second stimulus package

The North Coast electorates of Page, Cowper, Lyne and possibly Richmond are big winners when it comes to the number of families eligible for the Rudd Government's $950 cash bonus, according to Possum Comitatus.

Click on image to enlarge

Those seats in the top right corner are the ones that are expected to receive the greatest overall relative benefit from the stimulus while the ones in the bottom left are expected to receive the least relative benefit.
Also remember that electorates aren't homogeneous, in that there is a fair bit of variation within each electorate - so this chart wont tell the complete and comprehensive story, but merely the broad political story of which seats are getting the best end of the stimulus stick.

Along with promised building spend on every NSW North Coast school and money that may be flowing through from additional funding for regional and community infrastructure and roads, this has to be one of the best 'catch-up' financial years our combined communities have experienced if we are willing to get in there and fight for our fair share.

Let us hope that Kevin Rudd does not let the NSW Government distribute the proceeds from this second stimulus package in such a way that it starves rural and regional areas in order to feed the hungry maws of the big NSW metropolitan areas.

In Living Memory exhibition, 5 February - 1 March 2009 Ballina [ATSI community note this post may contain images of people who are no longer living]

The In Living Memory photographic exhibition is now on at the Northern Rivers Community Gallery, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina.

In Living Memory features images from a series of 1000 black and white photographs from the official records of the former NSW Aborigines Welfare Board. Most of the photographs were taken to document the work of the Board and to promote its policies. The exhibition also includes images taken during the exhibition consultation process by renowned Indigenous photographer Mervyn Bishop.

In Living Memory addresses the photographs as living records with compelling histories and powerful connections to the present. The exhibition is helping to create a new purpose and place for the photographs within contemporary Indigenous life.

Some of the images on display are from the NSW North Coast area.

The exhibition will be open between 10am to 4pm, Wednesday through to Sunday each week.
The Gallery can be contacted on (02) 6681 6167 to make group bookings to see the exhibition

Photograph was found at The Far North Coaster online magazine.

More grief for 'Truffles' Turnbull

Last Sunday morning during the ABC Insiders program Chris Uhlmann referred to 'Truffles' Turnbull as having "strapped himself to the tracks in front of the gravy train", because of his somewhat silly threat to block the Rudd Government second stimulus package in Parliament when it was obvious to everyone that he couldn't possiblely mount the numbers on this one (indeed it passed through the House Of Reps and is on its way to a Senate vote in the next few days).

But Mal has other PR worries as well this week:
"Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull says he is not the only politician to receive campaign funds from a controversial American billionaire.
Mr Turnbull received $76,000 from Fortress Investment Group director Peter Briger, to help fund the campaign for the Sydney seat of Wentworth, The Sun-Herald has reported.
Mr Turnbull previously held shares in the company associated with predatory lending practices in the United States, but offloaded them in 2007.
When asked if he would re-pay the money, Mr Turnbull told Network Ten: "You could well ask that same question of President (Barack) Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton because Peter Briger was a prominent supporter and donor to both their campaigns."
According to The Sun-Herald, Fortress is referred to as a "vulture company" because it preys on vulnerable businesses and debtors and picks over financial carcasses....."

This is not the first time Peter Briger has donated to the Libs - in 2007 he gave $51, 000 to the Liberal Party in NSW, but nothing to the other major parties.
And, guess what, Mal me old china?
Yep, you appear to be the only Aussie pollie to directly get money from this Yankee billionnaire and former Goldman Sachs shareholder (along with yourself).

In February 2007 The Street.com said of Briger and other Fortress directors/shareholders (and presumably Malcolm Turnbull):
"When it comes to hedge fund company Fortress Investments(FIG Quote - Cramer on FIG - Stock Picks), one thing's for sure: Chief executive Wesley Edens and the other principals didn't get where they are today by leaving money on the table.
Fortress went public two weeks ago and doubled in price on the first day. But what investors may not realize is that the five principals pretty much stripped the company clean just before the IPO.
I don't mean they cleaned up the balance sheet. I mean they cleaned out the vault. Page five of the prospectus shows they withdrew $446.9 million from the company in "cash distributions" last year.
Plus another $409 million in January.
They collected a further $888 million on Jan. 17 by selling a small stake to Japanese bank Nomura(NMR Quote - Cramer on NMR - Stock Picks).
Oh yes, and they pocketed a further $22.8 million in the final weeks before this month's IPO.
A table buried on page 94 of the prospectus shows the remarkable facts. Between January 2005 and this month's IPO, the five principals of Fortress -- Edens, Peter Briger, Robert Kauffman, Randal Nardone and Michael Novogratz -- cashed out $1.04 billion. "That does not include the Nomura transaction," adds company spokeswoman Lilly Donohue.
Total withdrawn in the two years before they took it public: $1.9 billion. Most of that was in the final few months.
This isn't just every penny that the company earned over that period -- it's a lot more. By the time the owners opened the doors to the investing public this month, the company wasn't just out of cash -- it had negative book value. Liabilities actually exceeded assets by $507 million........"

Fortress Investment Group key executives as of 6 February 2009.

Those wonderful Firies and other emergency service workers

It's times like this that bring home how wonderful Australian emergency services really are.
With many people in northern NSW having family spread around the country in areas affected by bushfire or flooding, we all have to rely on those big-hearted volunteers to look after these far away loved ones in times of danger and distress.

But it's not only the Firies and State Emergency Services workers we need to thank for their efforts either.
It is also the South Australian, Victorian, Queensland and New South Wales police, power company workers, local council staff, community groups, the Red Cross network and ABC Radio emergency service broadcasting, as well as countless neighbours and strangers who weigh in to help in times of trouble.
So here's a big thank-you to all these brave people as they continue to battle the worst that nature can throw at them.

The pic I've included is from ABC Melbourne.

Andy
Northern Rivers

Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at live dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.

While we wait for Conroy's ISP-level filtering trial.....

Netspace surveyed its customer and nearly 10,000 responded.

Whales have been in the ocean longer than humans have walked the earth

Humpback whale breaching photograph from National Geographic

It is thought that the ancestors of today's whales first became fully aquatic about 45 million years ago.

That is at least 40 million years earlier than our most readily recognizable ancestors and so far ahead of the creation of Japanese society that the Government of Japan should be ashamed of its pretence that the state-sponsored annual whale kills are anything but commercial slaughter.

A Sunday chuckle

• Sometimes a passing quote hits the giggle spot because its accidence is so right.
  This one is from the syndicated "Ginger Meggs" comic strip.
  
  A penny saved...........is a government oversight!

• Overheard at the pub: The way Malcolm Turnbull's been acting this week it looks like he's suffering from Rudd Rage.

"Moggy Musings" [Archived material from Boy the Wonder Cat]

A Happy Christmas musing:

Boy the Wonder Cat, Veroncia Lake his canine friend, Roo's bathroom cat and Clarrie's faithful hound, wish every pet and owner on the NSW North Coast a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Please remember to arrange proper care for your animals if you are holidaying between now and March 2009.

A get well soon musing:

This is a big hello to Dana, the 9 year-old Kelpie cross who was badly savaged by a grey pit bull at Red Rock in November 2008.

After emergency surgery and vet care that ran to over $3,000, Dana is still far from well as I put paw to keyboard.

A mixed mutt musing:

The Daily Examiner told everyone that (according to veterinary records) Labradors are the most common doggie pet in New South Wales, followed by Staffies, Jack Russells and Maltese Terriers.

My little canine friend Veronica Lake thinks that in the Northern Rivers things might be a little different, because she reckons that Yamba is the Home of the Little White Dog as there are so many small, white crossbreed dogs there.

I ask - where are the media releases about cats!?

A huge thankyou musing:

It was great to hear that 70-odd locals, tourists, National Park rangers and other government employees labored so hard at Anthony's Beach in north-west Tasmania to save a maternal pod of of pilot whales and managed to return 11 mums and bubs back to deep water and the open ocean.

Hope someone is giving you all free beer for that mammoth effort!

A keep an eye open musing:

This time of year fledgling birds are sometimes blown out of the nest before they are ready to fly. If something is moving in the flower bed or vegie patch, have a quick look to see if it is a grounded baby.

W.I.R.E.S (Northern Rivers) will take these babies so give them a call on: (02) 6628.1898

A US presidential musing:

Dogs of the world are rejoicing because a card-carrying Democrat puppy will enter the White House with the inauguration of Barack Obama on 20 January 2008.

But I'm a bit miffed. If Obama is truly going to be a president for all as he said in his acceptance speech, felines of the world join with me and demand that he give equal house space to a kitteh!

Here's my pick of a Cute kitten candidate for prime Washington residence

The New Economics

XKCD does the new economics

Zaishu art in Yamba

Photograph from the Bondville blog

Zaishu stool creations of Matthew Butler and Helen Puton, from Yamba at the mouth of the Clarence River.

Matt and Helen have their own website and can be contacted here.

B@stard Watch: old democrats neve die - they create a political blog!

It was sad to see the last of the Australian Democrats go from federal parliament in June, but they haven't gone too far from the public eye it seems.
This month the Demos created a blog called fittingly enough - B#stard Watch.
With the motto "B^stards never sleep and neither do we".
I wish them luck and hope that their new venture lives up to party expectations.
The new blog ran an Australia Day poll which gave Kevin Rudd a serve for not supporting gay marriage because he's a prudish b*stard.
In another post Peter Garret got it in the neck for being a whaling son without a father and for caving in to Gunns, while Mal Turnbull was done down for being an emissions trading foundling left on the steps of the local convent.
At this point I beg forgiveness for the convoluted phraseology, but there are only so many ways one can avoid the Internet filters when trying to type bastard person of uncertain parentage.

Artist’s public toilet has pride of place in small NZ town

“It is only a toilet but it should show that even small things
can bring beauty into our lives.” *1

Kawakawa (pop. 1,300), which some describe as an inconspicuous backwater New Zealand town, has a long main street, a butcher, a cafe, a supermarket and a pub. It also has a public toilet in the middle of its main street created by Viennese-born artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

Hundertwasser’s public toilet stands in Gillies Street amid the usual shops and businesses found in a small town. It gives visitors an opportunity to relieve themselves in typical Hundertwasser ambiance. The floor’s tiles are uneven, the walls are warped and the windows are made of different colored bottles set into cement. Its columns are playfully colorful while the roof is overgrown with grass. Read the Jakarta Globe's full report here.

To Hundertwasser, a toilet is very special because you meditate in a toilet. Like a church. "The similarity is not so far fetched."

More photos of Hundertwasser's work, taken by NZer Phil, are here.

Pic - Christiane Oelrich, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) Germany

*1 Norma, Hundertwasser’s neighbour and close friend

First Dog On The Moon tackles internet censorship

First Dog On The Moon at Crikey

Senator Conroy and the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Remember way back when (January 2008) Senator Conroy's spokesperson was quoted:

Senator Conroy's spokeswoman said the blacklist would be expanded through liaison with the Australian Federal Police, and international agencies such as Interpol and the FBI.

Then, it was a little worrying that the super-conservative Federal Bureau of Investigation would presumably have some input into Conroy's expanded blacklist.

It became all the more worrying this month when the Bureau formally entered communication partnerships with the following faith-based organizations:

• Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, under the leadership of Dr. Tony Evans;

• The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, under the leadership of Bishop T.D. Jakes;

• The First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, under the leadership of Pastor John Jenkins;

• The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship in Decatur, Georgia, under the leadership of Bishop Paul Morton;

• Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church in Washington, D.C., under the leadership of Bishop Alfred Owens; and

• Ever Increasing Faith Ministries in Los Angeles, California, under the leadership of Dr. Fred Rice.

Treatment of Grafton workers lower than a snake's belly

Directors of companies used to hire workers for the parent company operating Grafton abattoir are still giving former workers (sacked without receiving their due entitlements) the runaround.
It seems that no-one is taking responsibility.
And now Liberals MP Bronwyn Bishop is jumping on the bandwagon with offers of help.
Yep, Bronnie - you helped set up the WorkChoices legislation which virtually encouraged employers to shaft workers and now you want to help.
Too little, too late, mate.

Some pollies show what a waste of space they can be

The Libs and Nats are revolting.
No they're not just moving against the government, they are repulsive.
Malcolm Turnbull is going to the newspapers and saying that he wants a smaller second stimulus package (less than half of the $42 billion)and that he will block the Rudd Government in parliament.
What's he going to cut?
Social housing, defence forces accomodation, making homes warmer in winter, a little extra money for students, better class rooms and school libraries, a bonus for the working poor?
What an utter waste of space that man has turned out to be.

Upriver Bill
Northern Rivers

Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents.
Email ncvguestpeak at live dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.

The FBI is watching YouTube

The FBI is watching you YouTube according to a 14 January 2009 threat assessment document posted on Wikileaks.
Apparently the bureau is searching for Al Qaeda videos.

For heavens sake don't tell Senator Conroy! ;-)

Suggestions on the future of the International Whaling Commission: details of the Hogarth-De Soto proposal for Japanese whaling

Is Japan beginning to win its war of attrition against the anti-whaling nations?

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has released its Chairs’ Suggestions on the Future of the International Whaling Commission found in the Report on the Small Working Group (SWG) on the Future of the International Whaling Commission, 2 February 2009.

Element 6: JAPANESE SMALL TYPE COASTAL WHALING
An interim quota for "O" stock common minke whales in Japanese coastal waters for a five year period would be implemented, having regard to the unique circumstances that exist for four Japanese coastal communities. This whaling would be managed, consistent with the advice of the Scientific Committee, under a Schedule amendment that would last for 5 years. The Scientific
Committee would provide interim advice concerning the total removals of O and J stock common minke whales. The advice would be provided under the following two scenarios: a) constant catches for 5 years and 0 thereafter, b) constant catches for 5 years with the same level of catches thereafter.

Any direct take of J-stock animals must be identified and included with J-stock animals taken as bycatch in commercial fisheries, and managed according to the recommendations of the Scientific Committee. No more than a total of five vessels from Taiji, Abashiri, Ayukawa and Wada would be used, all trips must be day trips, and monitoring, control and enforcement methods must be identified and implemented. All meat would be locally consumed. In accordance with the Schedule, annual reports would be submitted to the IWC for each year’s hunt identifying the number of whales taken, the position of capture, the species taken and locations where whales are landed. Arrangements would be made for the Secretariat to verify the composition of total removals regarding J- and O- stock animals.

Element 23: RESEARCH UNDER SPECIAL PERMIT
This issue was one of the most contentious discussed by the Small Working Group. Many countries remained opposed to whaling under special permit. Various approaches have been suggested, including elimination, bringing it under the control of IWC and using a Code of Conduct. However, in the spirit of trying to reach a consensus on measures to improve the performance of the IWC, a significant reduction in the number of whales taken under special permit during the interim period is proposed; during that period the issue will be addressed further with a view to seeking a long-term arrangement. Such a proposal should in no way be interpreted as meaning that countries who are opposed to special permit whaling are thereby endorsing it; they might prefer to view it as a step in the process of reducing the number of whales taken while negotiations continue on the future of the IWC.

Based on discussions, the following options are proposed:

Option 1:
(1) For the next five years, a phase-out of special permit whaling of Antarctic minke whales in the Southern Ocean would occur, where takes of minke whales in the Southern Ocean would be reduced by 20% in the first year and each year thereafter to reach zero by year 5.
(2) No takes of humpback or fin whales in the Southern Ocean.
(3) All removal levels would be reviewed by the Scientific Committee and consistent with its recommendations.

Or,

Option 2:
(1) for the next five years, an annual limit of x Antarctic common minke whales and y fin whales is established in the Southern Ocean associated with JARPA II research, pending interim advice from the Scientific Committee regarding the sustainability of these removal levels.
(2) It is anticipated, pending advice from the Scientific Committee on sustainability, that in the western North Pacific as part of JARPN II research, ww O-stock common minke whales, xx sei whales, yy Brydes and zz sperm whales will be harvested annually.
Concerning the conduct of research under special permit, the Commission adopted a new approach (Annex P) at the Santiago meeting. The Scientific Committee will continue to use this approach for the review of existing and new research programmes. Member nations will take account of recommendations from the Scientific Committee regarding the experimental design.

During the 5-year interim period the Commission will address all issues pertaining to Article VIII. Of special importance are the issues of where special permit whaling would be allowed (i.e. whether special permit whaling should be allowed in designated sanctuaries), the long term purpose or need for special permit whaling, and monitoring and compliance protocols.

Element 27: SANCTUARIES
A South Atlantic Sanctuary should be established for an initial period of five years. The boundary for this sanctuary would take into account the interests of coastal range states. A ¾’s majority vote of the IWC would be required to extend this designation beyond the interim period.

North Coast pensioners took your advice, Kev - so how about it?

The Prime Minister gave pensioners a one-off bonus payment in December 2008 and told them to go out and spend to help the Aussie economy.
As far as I can tell on the NSW North Coast they did just that.
They spent it at the dentist, at the vet, buying clothes, sheets for the bed, tyres for the car, a new fridge, shoes for the grandkids and extra Christmas groceries - simple things like that which sent money straight into the tills of local businesses.
So Rudders not including a commitment to Aussie pensioners in his latest stimulus package anounced this week was a little alarming.
Is the Rudd Government going to put the promised mid-year payment increase for single pensioners on the backburner as it did paid maternity leave?
I second Senator Bob Brown when he called on the Rudd Government to once again include pensioners in the stimulus package by ensuring that they get a pension increase this year.
On the North Coast pensioners and seniors (besides being the backbone of many not-for-profit community groups and the bulk of the population in some areas) are what makes the money go round. I kid you not.

Australian national political donations: who gave to which party in 2007-2008

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) released the 2007-08 annual returns for political donations and expenditure this week.

Here is a brief breakdown:

Australian Labor Party [National] - 81 donations listed
Biggest donor Village Roadshow Limited at $205,000

Liberal Party of Australia [National] - 66 donors on record.
Largest donor Brickworks at $250,000

National Party of Australia [National] - 20 donations are recorded
Largest donor Hong Kong Kingson Investments at $250,000

Australian Greens [National] - 1 donation listed
Only donor Mr. Russell Thompson at $20,000

Family First [National] - 1 donor
Only donor Grocon Pty Ltd at $5,000

Christian Democratic Party [National] - 0 donors

In addition: the Business Council of Australia spent $2.3 million on political publication and broadcasting and the Australian Council of Trade Unions outlaid around $15.8 million across the spectrum.

AEC Search

• Party
• Party Group
• Donor
• Associated Entity
• Political Expenditure

Monsanto fruit?

From Animal Magic: or what happens when graphic artists get bored

* This post is part of North Coast Voices' effort to keep Monsanto's blog monitor (affectionately known as Mr. Monsanto) in long-term employment.

Australian senators' financial interests now online

Open Australia is in the process of putting all senators declared interests online at its website.
All senators can be found here. Just follow the links.
Starting with the "A"s and continuing downwards it is remarkable to see the number of senators declaring a laptop computer given to them by that notable 2008 corporate collapse ABC Pty Ltd.
It's also fascinating to see just how many senators appear to be living on their parliamentary income alone, like Senator Conroy who (from memory) states a mortgaged family home and a single savings bank account along with that ubiquitous laptop.
However, others like Senator Coonan give a gentle hint at cash investments, jewellery, antiques and a handful of 'freebies', while Senator Heffernan presents a fairly typical country MP profile of investments, shares in own and other companies, trusts, and land a little land and starry skies above.

Rudd's $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan outlined

The Prime Minister announced today a second stimulus package which includes these key elements:

• Free ceiling insulation for around 2.7 million Australian homes
• Build or upgrade a building in every one of Australia’s 9,540 schools
• Build more than 20,000 new social and defence homes
• $950 one off cash payments to eligible families, single workers, students, drought effected farmers and others
• A temporary business investment tax break for small and general businesses buying eligible assets
• Significantly increase funding for local community infrastructure and local road projects

More offical detail can be found here.

Crickey has graphs showing which electorates will get the bulk of child and school related payments and funding at Kevvie Cash Rewards

Red face for Nationals Luke Hartsuyker over fuel prices

Despite a great deal of wasted ink, Nationals MP for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker just could not support his contention that the Rudd Government was wrecking all for North Coast motorists and businesses.

Federal Member for Cowper Luke Hartsuyker has slammed the country's Petrol Commissioner and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for failing to help local motorists still forking out unnecessarily high prices for unleaded fuel.

First the Petrol Commissioner told him that the difference between Kempsey and city unleaded petrol average retail prices was only around 4 cents a litre for the second half of 2008.

Now according to The Land on Saturday:

The difference between city and country fuel prices is no reason for alarm, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
This is despite calls for a full investigation into the price gap by country MPs last week.
The ACCC says some country petrol prices last week were cheaper than Sydney and Melbourne prices.
ACCC commissioner and petrol spokesman, Joe Dimasi, visited Central Queensland last week to talk to angry country motorists and see for himself what was going on with petrol prices.
The visit followed a formal request from Nationals leader, Warren Truss, and Opposition spokesman for competition, Luke Hartsuyker, for the ACCC to thoroughly investigate the disparity between petrol and diesel prices, and city and country fuel prices.
Mr Truss said diesel was traditionally much cheaper than petrol, and its current high price was flowing through to the cost of transport and food.

It would appear the Mr. Hartsuyker is not beginning the year with any political flourish.

'Truffles' Turnbull's latest tack

Dear Voter,
I'm writing to let you know that Edward Gough Whitlam is alive and well and heading the country as Australian Prime Minister in 2009.
You may have been a little confused because his official biography doesn't mention him being a rather younger, chubby fellow hailing from Queensland.
But do not be fooled - the PM is really Gough after a clever makeover paid for by Unions Australia.
If Gough-in-disguise comes to your door asking for your vote it would be wise to have lots of garlic and holy water handy to ward him off.
Australia's economy depends on returning to government all those politicians who so enthusiastically supported a deregulated global financial system.
Julie, Joe and Tony join me in saying: Remember, greed is good for the nation.
Sincerely,

Malcolm Bligh Turnbull

P.S.
This letter was paid for by donations from my friends Bankers International and Big Business.

Storm Financial: if it looks too good to be true then it is

Storm is one of Australia's largest and fastest growing Financial Services firms. Our strength comes from providing services and advice, based on sound research, which integrate smoothly with your life goals and ambitions.
Investing successfully is about fulfilling your full financial potential; not about being constrained by the limits of your present position.
We take the confusion and complexity out of investing and provide free investor education so you can make informed choices to create the quality of life you desire.

So said Storm Financial (formerly Ozdaq Securities and Cassimatis Securities) in 2005.

Supposedly the principals now have to sell all after the company's financial collapse leaves them facing personal bankruptcy.

Though the media have been somewhat silent about another company Ignite Financial Systems & Research Pty Ltd (formerly Storm Financial Research and Ozdaq Research) apparently owned by Storm principals and rumoured to be operating in Victoria as well as in Queensland and, which has Storm Financial as a client.
It is not clear whether this firm has been protected from the financial meltdown or indeed if any of the other companies which appear to be associated with Storm are not at risk.

It has also been reported that the Financial Planners Association has terminated Storm's membership with some stern words.

Matters are likely to go from bad to worse for Storm clients, for besides having to meet horrendous margin calls it is possible that the Australian Tax Office may come calling about how various advisers structured their tax.

Legal action by former Storm clients against everyone they can think of may be the only way to stave off further loss/debt.
At last count their combined debt was estimated at $100 million.

Courtesy of The Wayback Machine here are website screen shots from October 2007 and January 2009.

Then...................

Now....................

Update:

• Emmanuel Cassimatis admits it was he who discussed with the Commonwealth Bank the fact that many Storm clients would be unable to meet margin calls, two weeks before the bank contacted these clients.
• Supreme Court freezes bank account linked to Storm Financial, 4 Februaury 2009

Scorching Australia: interviews with Wong, Lindesay and Evans on climate change

Photograph from the ABC

Australia's southern states are struggling through what is likely to be a once-in-a-century heat wave. ABC's Canberra correspondent, Linda Mottram in an extended interview with Doctor Janette Lindesay, associate professor of climatology, Australian National University last week.
Interview can be heard here:
Listen: Windows Media

An earlier interview with Julie Evans, meteorologist at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology in Sydney, Penny Wong, Australia's Climate Change Minister, Doctor Janette Lindesay, associate professor of climatology, Australian National University can be heard here:
Listen: Windows Media

ABC News report on last year's southern heatwave.

How Rudd & Labor can lose the 2010 federal election

What with Turnbull and Truss still rummaging around for a hat to match that Coalition overcoat, it looks nigh on impossible for the Rudd Government to lose the next federal election.
Ah, but wait.
Every Australia Day the ugly little republican imp is let loose and the media delightedly stir the common pot.
According to the Canberra Times the Australian Republican Movement wants Rudd to fire the starter's gun so voters can decide if Australian is to be a republic.
The BBC weighs in with a little ambivalence on the subject.
For once David Flint writing for the ABC News hits the nail on the head with a piece titled Republican push divisive, expensive and irresponsible.
The Courier Mail baldly says that Rudd has ditched the plan because of a feared voter backlash.

Faced with the increasingly nasty effects of climate change and in a long period of economic uncertainty affecting every facet of life; all Australia needs to turn it snarling on the ruling political party is for that party to decide that we need more disruptive change and insist the country debate and vote on a republic.
If Rudders resists the urge to begin this republican debate then all will be well.
If not - then bring on the next federal election and I for one will delight in voting the bustards out 2010.
We need the short-sighted and naked self-interest of pollies messing with the Australian Constitution like we need the discovery of mad cow disease within our borders.

First bumper stickers, t-shirts and coffee mugs - now Obama is a worm!

During the 2008 presidential election campaign the Obama for America team branded almost everything that moved with logos and slogans promoting Barack Obama.

During the transition period for President-elect Obama his face began appearing on even more merchandise.

Now as President Obama his face appears on PC monitors if these have been infected with an Obama Worm.

The worm spreads via USB drive, using the Windows autorun feature to install itself automatically on any drive it connects with. Unlike most of today's profit-driven malware, the Obama worm doesn't steal your credit card number or turn your PC into a remote-controlled zombie system. In fact, it isn't designed to do anything besides float a small picture of Obama at the bottom right corner of your desktop all day every Monday.

Unfortunately, it is so badly written that the worm gradually renders any PC it is run on completely useless, according to Rob Koliha, Walling Data's director of innovation. "It will basically prevent execution of any kind of files."

Because antivirus programs don't detect it yet, it's also hard to know when you've been infected, except on Monday.

Australian genetically modified foods update

This post is by way of a catch-up on news about genetically modified (GM) food and crops in Australia.

ABC News reported last week:

When New South Wales and Victoria dropped their bans on genetically modified canola crops, GM supporters claimed farmers would have greater yielding crops as a result.
However recent trials showed there was little difference between the two.
So why bother growing GM canola if you can't get anything extra out of it?....
Chris Preston is associate professor at the School of Agriculture at the University of Adelaide.
He says trial results depend on region and climate, and the drought hampered the GM canola trails.
He says the trials do give an indication how canola performs in drought conditions, and if that's where it's being grown it's probably not worth growing GM canola variety. xxxx

WA Business News also ran this short article on 16 January:

Genetically modified canola crops in Victoria have performed no better than their non-genetically modified counterparts as Western Australia prepares to hold trials later this year.
Results from Grains Research and Development Council showed the yields, from the first independent trial crops in Horsham and Forbes in Victoria, were 0.7 tonne per hectare for GM and 0.8t/ha ha for non-GM.
The results are not good news for those wanting to farm GM canola, as to break even with the technology, profits must increase by up to 16 per cent.

Comment on the Business News article:

This article talks of yields, but what about sales? Thanks to this environmentally toxic rubbish being foisted on us Australians I simply boycott everything with Canola in it now because no-one can quickly prove to me it's GM free.

I'm not going to waste my time trying to find out either as you either encounter people who don't have a clue or spin doctors.

I'm becoming more aggressive with fish shops etc too, if they are using canola or cottonseed oil, the food could be GM contaminated.

We Can't Eat A Scorched Earth! Climate change and food security

Free public meeting promoted by Gene Ethics

Thursday 5th February 2009
5.45 pm for 6.00 pm talk start, concluding 7.15pm
NSW Teachers Federation

23 - 33 Mary St, Surry Hills Sydney - (between Albion & Reservoir)

True Food Network latest guide to GM-free food and what to avoid

Australian Office of Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) list of genetically modified product approvals:
GM products approved as food, food additives and processing aids (PDF 79 KB)
GM products approved as therapeutics (PDF 19 KB)

OGTR current list of applications and licences to release GMO into the environment, laboratory trials and low risk dealings.

* This post is part of North Coast Voices' effort to keep Monsanto's blog monitor (affectionately known as Mr. Monsanto) in long-term employment.