***************A Happy Festive Season 2012***************

To All Our Readers
A Happy Festive Season
From Everyone Here at North Coast Voices

See you again on 1 January 2013
When we return from our holiday break

Ethical Investors Be Warned: Metgasco is spouting propaganda again

 

The relentless propaganda being churned out by Metgasco Limited has reached such ridiculous heights that earlier this month the Echo NetDaily called it on the spin and misinformation being generated.

 

However, this mining company barely broke stride in its attempts to blacken the character of those who oppose coal seam gas exploration and mining.

 

Now we hear that Metgasco; has received legal advice it could take action against the protesters at the Glenugie site where the company is doing core-sample drilling.

 

It would appear that the Knitting Nannas of Grafton and other law abiding Northern Rivers residents are in this company’s sights.

 

Where does this sense of corporate entitlement come from – this very arrogant l'etat c'est moi attitude?

 

Once again, pictures demonstrate…..

 

Home of a Metgasco director and shareholder:

 

 

Typical home in the Glenugie area of the Clarence Valley:

 

How to track Santa tonight

Sadly, none of Santa's many elves live in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, but they do make sure that the jolly fellow vists on Christmas Eve when everyone is fast asleep.

Here is the Santa Tracker* which may show you just how close he is to your house tonight: http://www.google.com/santatracker/#/village/

* The tracker works best in Chrome.

You can also track Santa here.

For all the children in Austalia here is Santa's flight plan for tonight.....
http://youtu.be/u7JLVBnqIbo

Call to reduce speed on the Maclean to Brooms Head Road

Residents of Brooms Head say, "Enough is enough" in a letter to the editor of The Daily Examiner.

Road kill appalling

Plenty of well-meaning people work hard to address the impact of Brooms Head Road traffic on our wildlife. National Parks keep count of emu numbers; WIRES repairs victims; some attach tracking devices; and, occasionally, The Daily Examiner reminds us how warm and fuzzy are emu chicks. But none of this reduces the appalling road kill.

Eighteen months ago my wife and I concluded a series of letters to The Daily Examiner and The Coastal Views  about the level of the road kill on the 20km stretch between Brooms Head and Maclean, but the killing continues.

I recently presented photos of wildlife killings on that road to The Daily Examiner: roos, wallabies, wallaroos, possums, echidnas, various reptiles and a wide variety of birds. The reporter wasn't interested except to wonder why I cared.

I said that if I were hit, it would hurt me as much as if I were an emu or goanna. I asked if, in the scheme of things, an emu has a less-important right to seek a pain-free life than I do; that while I use its natural land, should deadly confrontation be inevitable; that while I possibly think quicker than the emu, does it give me a greater right to destroy it - or am I ethically obliged to care for the less able? Should my code of behaviour be based on the levels of difference between the surrounding wildlife and me and, if so, how should it be expressed caringly or non-caringly?

If conflict between "unequal" species is okay, what about between members of our species? Should we excuse killing one another on roads. If not, why not?

While it seemed my reporter preferred to pursue the warm and fuzzy approach, bosses/authorities who don't make decisions can have devastating effect. Reducing this 20km trip to mostly 80km/h all the way certainly increases the time by three minutes but allows that bit extra for sharper navigation and avoidance on a road where highway speed (and often more) simply invites collision. The administrative inaction shows poor duty of care. It's a little similar to the carelessness surrounding that thoughtless message recently allowed through to nurse Saldanah in London.

K.Giese
Brooms Head

Source: Letters, The Daily Examiner, 21/12/12

Joe Hockey: "a nasty man"

From @Pollytics

Predictions for 2013

* Biggest under the radar problem for Federal Labor in 2013 - Robert John "Bob" Carr.

* Most troublesome MP for Federal Liberal Party in 2013 – Anthony John "Tony" Abbott.

* Most likely political scandals next year –

Abbott’s political plots

who knew of James Ashby's plans and who funded his court case

the relationship between past and present MPs or their advisers and mining companies operating in New South Wales

super trawlers in Australian waters

NSW Health performance

Cardinal George Pell if his congregation don't manage to gag him during the Federal Government royal commission into child sexual abuse

The Australian newspaper's rightwing shenanigans

the entire federal general election campaign from start to finish