Even the Australian Bureau of Meteorology rain radars are finding they are impacted by NSW bushfires

This tweet is from the Director of ABC News on 6 December 2019:

The ⁦@BOM_au⁩ satellite map over this significant part of NSW suggests desperately needed rain .. but unfortunately, all of the activity picked up here is bushfire smoke. Extraordinary. #NSWbushfires ⁦@abcnews⁩ ⁦@NSWRFS⁩ pic.twitter.com/zZry4r1mLk

— Gaven Morris (@gavmorris) December 6, 2019

How brand names are faring in Australia in 2019 - best and worst list

Every year the Brand Institute releases its National Reputation Health Report which is a quantitative study of Australia’s 100 most recognisable companies, devised to measure the reputation of leading brands and companies with a presence in Australia.

The 2019 report is based on a survey of 2,000 respondents who views on brand image, operations, products and services, social responsibility, innovation, communication, financial performance and customer values are sought.

These are the overall brand rankings for 2019:

100 reputations in order of level of community respect, 9News, 5 December 2019

Top 10 Most Respected Company Reputations in Australia 2019

1. Google - technology
2. Bunnings - retail
3. Samsung - technology
4. Apple - technology
5. Qantas - airlines
6. Woolworths - grocery/supermarket
7. Microsoft - technology
8. Toyota - automative
9. Office Works - retail
10. RSPCA - charity/non-profit

Top 10 Least Respected Company Reputations in Australia 2019

1. Centrelink - services (at -29 this brand also comes third last when assessed for social responsibility & at -26 is considered the poorest run corporation)
2. Adani - natural resources
3. Tiger Airways - airlines
4. Monsanto - other
5. Malaysia Airways - airlines
6. Exxon - natural resources
7. EA Games - retail
8. dodo - telecommunications
9. Zara - retail
10. NBN - telecommunications

It is worth noting that media giant News Corp was the 15th least respected brand name in Australia

According to 9News, 5 December 2019:

In the battle of the retail giants, Woolworths in 6th beat Coles in 11th spot while Kmart came in at 19th ahead of Aldi in 20th......

Bendigo Bank took out 55th place before the big four was lead by Westpac in 56th, CBA 61st, ANZ 70th and NAB 73rd.

IGA was the only bank to place in the top half of the list, coming in 44th position.

But it was Centrelink who came in dead last position after a damaging year of revelations about its disastrous debt recovery program, known as robodebt.

Because the Morrison Government is dominated by closet climate change deniers Australia will soon have no friends in the South Pacific

First Prime Minister Scott Morrison's intransigent climate change denying cost Australia the goodwill of the smaller South Pacific islands.

Now his refusal to turn, face the facts of climate change and take meaningful action is highly likely to increase the severity of climate change impacts on our near neighbour and oldest regional ally, New Zealand.

The Times, 7 December 2019:

New Zealand’s retreating southern glaciers are facing a new threat: clouds of orange soot from bushfires in Australia. Scientists said that the ash which fell on the pristine snow this week from 1,200 miles away across the Tasman Sea could absorb more heat and melt snow faster this summer, as one climate disaster accelerates another.

Andrew Mackintosh, an expert on glaciers and climate at Monash University in Melbourne, said: “If it stays on the surface then it will certainly enhance melt. If fire frequency, ash and dust transport increase, there is a chance that this will hasten the demise of New Zealand glaciers.”

New Zealand has 3,173 glaciers, ranging in age from est. 18,000 years to est. 1.2 million years.

Around 8 February 2019 bushfire smoke from Tasmanian bushfires mixed with dust storm particles from the Australian mainland reached the south island of New Zealand, turning the surface area of affected glaciers pink.

By 10 November smoke was covering the entire south island and potentially dropping brown ash on up to 3,155 glaciers, with those affected glaciers now pinkish red.

On 11 November 2019 smoke from Australian bushfires potentially reached 18 glaciers in New Zealand's north island.

As the 2019 Australian east coast fire season is not expected to end before March if we are fortunate and June if we are not, in all probability New Zealand will experience more ash falls from across the Tasman Sea. 

Its citizens will be perfectly within their rights to shun Australia for its government's gross negligence.

Clarence Valley CWA branches doing their bit for firefighterd & bushfire victims

Grafton & South Grafton CWA branches are cooking for the firegrounds.

Clarence Valley Independent, 4 December 2019

The Maclean branch of the CWA has been busy sewing mittens and pouches for wildlife injured in the bushfires, using pure cotton and woollen materials donated by Clarence Valley residents.

Food Care at Good Intent Shopping Centre on Armidale Rd, South Grafton, which sells low cost food to those that need it, is also offering free of charge brand new clothing to fire victims. The store is open Wednesday, Thursday & Friday from 9am to 1pm.

The North Coast Public Health Unit is urging people in Yamba NSW to look out for measles symptoms, after a resident contracted the infectious disease

Northern NSW Health District, community announcement, 6 December 2019:

Measles on the NSW North Coast – Yamba

The North Coast Public Health Unit is urging people in Yamba to look out for measles symptoms, after a resident contracted the infectious disease.

People who visited the following areas on these dates may have been exposed:

• Thursday 28 November, Friday 29 November, Monday 2 December or Tuesday 3 December – anyone who travelled on bus routes 1, 2, or 4 in Yamba
• Saturday, 30 November – Maclean Golf Course between 8.00am to 1.15pm
• Saturday, 30 November – Yamba Fair Shopping Centre, including Coles, butchers, newsagent between 2.00pm to 3.00pm
• Sunday, 1 December – Yamba Bowling Club between 5.30pm to 7.00pm
• Tuesday, 3 December – Yamba Fair Shopping Centre around 4.00pm.

Acting Director of North Coast Public Health Unit, Greg Bell, said measles is highly infectious among people who are not fully immunised.

“Measles symptoms include fever; sore eyes, a cough, and a red, blotchy rash spreading from the head to the rest of the body,” Mr Bell said.

“Anyone who was in or has visited the locations listed should watch for symptoms until 21 December. These locations pose no ongoing risk to the public.

“It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear following exposure to a person with measles.

“If you develop symptoms of measles, please arrange to see your GP and phone ahead to alert them before arriving at the GP clinic.

Measles is highly contagious and is spread in the air through coughing or sneezing by someone who is unwell with the disease. Vaccination is your best protection against this extremely contagious disease.

The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is a safe and highly effective protection against measles, and is available for free for those born during and after 1966 from your GP.

“If you are unsure whether you have had two doses, it is safe to have another dose,” Mr Bell said.

Protecting children from potentially deadly diseases is a key priority for the NSW Government, which has invested approximately $130 million in the 2019-20 Immunisation Program budget, including Commonwealth and state vaccines.

For more information on measles, visit: 

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/Measles_Factsheet.aspx.

[my yellow highlighting]

Cartoon of the Week

David Pope

How Donald Trump sees himself

This is a photoshopped image US President Donald J. Trump placed on his own Twitter account @realDonaldTrump on 28 November 2019.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1199718185865535490

This is how the world sees him.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/shortcuts/2018/jan/17/the-girther-movement-is-donald-trump-fatter-than-the-white-house-doctor-says