Recently I have been struggling with many things, most of all people.

Don’t get me wrong I like people in general; it’s the apathy and pretence of ignorance which truly shits me.I would really like to know what is wrong people or is the problem with me. If its me then that’s cool, I truly am nuts and at least there would some hope that the world isn’t going to hell in a hand basket.Please don’t think for a minute this is me haven’t a whinge about the nature of the world, well I guess it might be in some ways, but not whinging for the sake of it. It’s more a random stream of observations over the past few weeks which in some strange way has taken hold and totally confused me.

The State Government and members accuse Senator Bob Brown of lying about Forestry Tasmania threatening to declare him bankrupt if he didn’t pay court cost and that he was misleading the public. calling for donations. The population goes shame on you Bob, but if you go to his website there are scanned copies of the documents which say they would. Here is the web site if you are interested

A few months ago protestors trying to stop logging of old growth forests where attacked by (believed to be) logger they fire bombed vehicles and bashed a protestors in the middle of the night. It was court on video. The Protestors where called Lay-a bouts, charged with trespass, and other thing but I haven’t heard if the attackers where charged if anyone knows please let me know. The State Premiere said the Loggers were entitled to be frustrated as if condoning this sort of behaviour.

ITS STATE FOREST, PUBLIC LAND.

Not long after this attack the camp was fire bombed.

NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN LAID

As far as I can find out if you know please tell me and I will amend.

We have a road which is for the most part gravel, the government want to tar it, it’s a tourist road which people drive because it is gravel rustic and in keeping with the scenery. The road also will link some prime forests and open the area to logging. But no body has even realised it. No body wants the road tarred, not even the tourists but it is being pushed ahead. 23 million dollars being spent on a road nobody wants, nobody needs, excepting the loggers and the Government and

STILL NO ONE IS JUMPING UP AND DOWN.

What is wrong with people, we can jump up and down about a supposed rigged election in Iran, and my God don’t you dare say anything against Israel, we can sit there and say the kids of today, and frown on events happening all over the world, God help anyone who bags Sport, but when things are so blatantly wrong in our own backyard we sit there and think nothing of it.

I am not just talking about Tasmania or Australia, it happens all over the world, people just let it.

While we watch the news, seeing the world events played out on Television scenes or monitors, making statements of ‘oh my!’, ‘that’s no good’, ‘that’s not right’, ‘those poor people’ nobody does anything. When the news is over we move on to next the program or even change channels before the end. We sit on our hands being aware of the problems and not really caring and those few minorities who actually give a dam think there is nothing we can do.

I don’t know what the problem is, perhaps we have become a ME world, so busy with our own lives we can no longer take time to think or help others. To say ‘oh this isn’t right’ and then get up and go and do something. I guess it far easier to criticise others in far away places than those in your own neighbourhood.

Has the world become so politically correct that we can no longer tell someone they are wrong, denounce a liar for what and who they are, bring to light an untruth. Are we so afraid of confrontation, we are no longer willing to stand up and say NO! Or is it the general population has become so conditioned to the fears presented to us that we are willing to swallow any tripe serve to us, so long as we can feel safe and secure in our own little box.

It is a sad thing when the human race shuts its self off from itself, when we choose to ignore the world around us for the sake of our own individual needs. Once upon a time it was the health and well being of the whole tribe, village or town which was what was important. These days it is our own house, yard, and job which is the priority and the rest of the world can sod it self.

We see glimpses of humanity from time to time, charity workers in war zones, a stranger saving a person from a burning building, heroics we stand in awe of. They are few and far between. These days’ people are more prone to stand in front of a house on fire and watch the person burn rather than risk themselves and help them.

The whole point is to think out the square, find some way to stand up and be counted stop sitting there saying there is nothing I can do and start thinking of things you can.

Stop believing everything you are told, and start asking questions, find out the truth for yourself and then tell others.

Perhaps then we will stop being screwed.

These 9 words and Statements are commonly used by us women on Men, but the poor hapless man has No Idea how to take them.

So that there is no more confusion and no more excuses.

Here you guys I am giving you a fighting chance.

(1) Fine:

This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2)Five Minutes:

If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing:

This is the calm before the storm… This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

(4) Go Ahead:

This is a dare, not permission. Don’t Do It!

(5)Loud Sigh:

This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

(6) That’s Okay:

This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That’s okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks:

A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you’re welcome. (I want to add in a clause here – This is true, unless she says ‘Thanks a lot’ – that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say ‘you’re welcome’. That will bring on a ‘whatever’).

(8)Whatever:

Is a woman’s way of saying F—YOU!

(9) Don’t worry about it, I got it:

Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking ‘What’s wrong?’ For the woman’s response, refer to # 3.

Well its taken a while, but Australia has entered the rather exclusive list of countries with Swine flu contamination.

It was only a matter of time I guess but I am finding all the information confusing at best. The media and health authorities have been feeding us lines such as Potentially Fatal and Global Pandemic, then they wonder why people begin to panic.Given the media hype, general world wide alerts, our bombardment with warnings is it any surprise that people are begining to panic at least on the mainland, as schools close. Here in Tasmania complaints about our apathy, relaxed attitude and complacency is leading itself to worry the authorities as most people believe it is little more than the flu or bad cold.

WHAT IS Swine Flu?

The whole situation, looking from the outside, is a complete farse.

The unfortunate fact is our recent and swift enlightenment came about as a direct result of sloppy practices, by those charged with keeping such things out of the country. I am not naive enough to think that it would not arrive here eventually but the circumstances by which we have arrived into this club leaves a lot to be desired.

When the Pacific Dawn made dock in Sydney with 2 children sick on board. Authorities allowed 2000 people to disembark, the resulting infections will climb. Story here

Currently we have 6 people being tested for Swine Flu after arriving home to Tasmania, 5 from cruise liner and one who was in contact with a passenger (a confirmed case), however not only do we have those who left the ship under suspicion, new passengers were allowed to begin their holiday on board.

I certainly hope they get a refund on their fares. The ship has not been allowed to dock in Brisbane and is currently near an Island off Cairnes, as the Government seeks advice as to quarantining the cruise ship, all a bit late I think with 3 crew members and one more passenger on board this lovely incubating bowl, reporting illness.

Even if 500 people where infected and each of those persons came incontacted with 10 people on the way home, that would give a potential daily infection result of 5000 people, these 5000 are in contact with another 10 on the same day resulting in a potential of 50,000 on the first day. We are being told that the infection rate is about 40%, this means at least 20,000 people, so our numbers will rise. Latest here

That being said, there is no need to panic, we are being told and I must say I tend to agree at this stage.

The worry seems to be when it has its second time round, as I pointed out in my previous swine flu post.

Swine Flu mutates with each new transmission, It does not replicate itself 100% changing slightly, so its potential appears to be limitless.

To gain entry into Tasmania you have 2 options either plane o5 boat, either way you are in contact with a large number of persons. Asking a person if they have the flu when then arrive here does seem to be a rather inept way to keep something, which is suppose to be so potentially dangerous, out of our state.

Either this thing is as bad as the World Health is stating and not the result of an over enthusiastic scientist or it isnt. If it is the former, then you would think a far more active action plan would be put in place with passengers who are at risk being quarentined before travel until test results show otherwise.

I do feel the first wave of this virus will be nothing more than a very bad cold, a standard influenza, which kills upto 2500 Australians a year, however second time round I believe it will be very nasty. If we use the only drug available to combat it now as the virus is relatively easy to remove, what will we use when it comes back with an immunity to the drugs. Eradicating completely seems a tall order given its spread, and how easily it appears to be transmitted, it has that part right, so I am guessing that part of the virus continues to be passed on.

There are 2 possible responses as far as I can see:

Either this thing is or has the potential to become as bad as the Spanish Flu.

Or this is overkill and will petter out over time as the Sars Virus, Bird Flu and other recent virus alerts have done.

Either way which ever the case, all we can do is live our lives, take all neccessary precautions that you would if you had the flu, a cold or other contagious illness.

AND DO NOT PANIC.

Being Australian Is…..

About driving in a German car
To an Irish pub
For A Belgian beer,
Then on the way home, grabbing an Indian curry
Or A Turkish kebab,
To sit on Swedish furniture and
Watch American shows
On a Japanese TV.

Oh and….

Only in Australia …
can a pizza get to your house faster
than an ambulance

Only in Australia …

do supermarkets make
sick people walk all the way
to the back of the shop
to get their prescriptions
while healthy people
can buy cigarettes at the front.

Only in Australia …

do people order double cheeseburgers,
large fries and
a DIET coke.

Only in Australia …

do banks leave both doors wide open
and chain the pens to the counters.

Only in Australia …

do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars
in the driveway and
lock our junk and cheap lawn mower
in the garage.

NOT TO MENTION….

A massive 543 Aussies
were admitted to Emergency
in the last two years
after opening bottles of beer with their teeth.

and finally………

In 2000 eight Aussies cracked their skull
whilst throwing up into the toilet.

MAKES YOU PROUD TO BE AUSTRALIAN