Today, I want to write about a politician. We are surrounded by these public figures who love to bask in their reflected glory through the lens of the media, social media and their own lens of self importance.
They think they can do no wrong.
We have politicians who lie, cheat, exploit their office for self gratification and financial reward; all the while thinking that they are doing nothing wrong.
And no, I am not talking about Donald Trump. He already has more money than he could spend in a lifetime and more public support and adoration than just about any man on earth today. So if you feel that way, bugger off. This blog and post are not for you.
No, I am talking about your run of the mill, average " Uncle Joe " politician who can seemingly go from modest to millions in a matter of years with a bank account that is off the charts.
And it all comes down to greed, inflated egos and self delusion.
The definition of online freedom has been depressingly constricted over the last thirty years.
You have surely heard that your search results on Google (with 92 percent share of the search market) reflect not your curiosities and needs but someone or something else’s views on what you need to know. That’s hardly a secret.
And on Facebook, you are likely inundated by links to official sources to correct any errors you might carry in your head, as well as links to corrections to posts as made by any number of fact-checking organizations.
You have likely also heard of YouTube videos being taken down, apps deleted from stores, and accounts being canceled across a variety of platforms.
You might have even adjusted your behavior in light of all of this. It is part of the new culture of Internet engagement. The line you cannot cross is invisible. You are like a dog with an electric shock collar. You have to figure it out on your own, which means exercising caution when you post, pulling back on hard claims that might shock, paying attention to media culture to discern what is sayable and what is not, and generally trying to avoid controversy as best you can in order to earn the privilege of not being canceled.
I have just read something I wrote 4 years ago. It is the anniversary of my little Jack's departure from this world in 2022. He was nearly 18 years old.
June is a very important month . My birthday coming up too , Mr Redhead's birthday as well, and a 74th wedding anniversary ( if he was still with me to share it). But we made 65 years together. My dear little Jack Russell departed this world on the 1st June , and I visited the RSPCA and took home my 2 Manx cats on the 4th June. 2 years ago. Those very ones that so kindly wake me every morning around 4.45 am !
When I re read it, it made me realize that while things have changed, (we are no longer restricted in movement , people are able to visit .. and those dreadful masks have gone) .. except of course by the criminals.
But instead of confined to homes, the homes have been stolen from some people and they are reduced to caravans and tents . Jobs have been lost and can you name one person in Australia that has not had a member of their family or a close friend who has not suffered some dire ailment from the "jab".
Read more: Bird Watching Jack Russells and Pineapples - an " I remember when " trip down Memory Lane
As the days pass, I increasingly think the world has gone mad.
Mad. Insane. Where Reason has popped off the perch and idiocy has entered the room and is now holding court.
Just look at what has happened in New York today..... Trump was convicted, on the "evidence" from a lawyer, who was convicted of fraud, being finance violations and tax and bank fraud, hardly, what anyone could describe, as a plausible and reliable, witness.
" Trump's biggest mistake in office was to go soft on his enemies.
He thought he could negotiate his way out of the swamp.
Not so. You can't negotiate your way out of a Swamp. You have to drain it, give it a deep clean and start again. "
Read more: There is a Hole in Our Bucket. And We Need to Drain it, Scrub It and Start Again
Prize of the day for national policy research goes to Nick Cater, who managed to ridicule our billion-dollar national science agency, the CSIRO, with a newspaper column.
The CSIRO put out a report proclaiming that nuclear power would be impossible before 2040 and cost “twice as much” as renewables. But Nick Cater just compared electricity in New South Wales to Finland to prove their 129 pages of modeled costs were wrong:
On Saturday…. Electricity generation in NSW was releasing 750g of carbon into the atmosphere per megawatt hour of electricity. In Finland, it was 35g.
Read more: Nuclear versus Renewables: The only cost that matters is the one the customers pay
Once upon a time in the land of OUR country, freedom was a rare commodity.
The citizens were bound by countless rules, regulations, and, worst of all, forms. There were forms to fill in, forms to let us sleep, and even forms to dream. Dreaming without proper authorisation could lead to severe penalties, including being sentenced to fill out more forms.
In the heart of OUR Country lived Bob, a rather jovial and friendly man who had grown tired of the endless paperwork. One particularly dreary Monday, Bob found himself buried under a pile of reports. As he sifted through them, he stumbled upon a peculiar form labeled “Application for Freedom.” Intrigued, he read the fine print:
Read more: A Passport to Forms Forever Land - A Fairytale Nightmare?
Anarchy often gets a bad rap. Images of burning buildings, rampant lawlessness, and a general sense of "uh-oh" tend to dominate the narrative.
But let’s put down our pitchforks and Molotov cocktails for a moment and consider the potential upsides of anarchy.
After all, every cloud has its silver lining, and every chaotic free-for-all has its perks. Just imagine? No more bureaucratic red tape.
Ah, bureaucracy, the bane of modern existence. Forms in triplicate, waiting lines longer than a Tolkien novel, and rules so convoluted that they make calculus look like finger painting. But in anarchy, guess what? No more red tape! Want to build a treehouse without a permit? Go right ahead. Feel like setting up a lemonade stand without a business license? Be my guest. The world is your oyster – shuck it however you please.
Read more: Government. Protecting and Serving the Shit Out of You
Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May, is a time for Americans to honour the men and women who have died in military service to the United States. This solemn holiday is marked by ceremonies, parades, and tributes, reflecting the nation's respect and gratitude for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Understanding the history of Memorial Day and its contemporary significance provides insight into its enduring importance in American culture.
Much like our ANZAC Day, it is a day to genuinely honour those who fought and perished to defend our right to freedom.
Memorial Day in the United States and ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand are both national days dedicated to remembering and honoring military personnel who have served and sacrificed for their countries. While these special days share a common purpose, they differ in their origins, customs, and contemporary significance. Comparing these two observances provides insight into how different nations honour their fallen heroes and reflect on their military histories.
This post explores the history in both and how they are the same yet different.
Read more: Memorial Day in America vs ANZAC Day in Australia and New Zealand
" An illusion it will be, so large, so vast it will escape their perception.
Those who will see it will be thought of as insane.
We will create separate fronts to prevent them from seeing the connection between us. "
I have no idea who wrote this.
But I read it and wondered to myself : Over 20 years ago, someone wrote this and we are now living it?
Surely not
Make of it what you will.
Read more: The Work of the Devil's Disciples? A Warning from 2002
In an absolutely indefensible, morally reprehensible ruling, Germany has greatly reduced the legal consequences of child pornography. There is no universe in which such a ruling can be justified. The very thought of it is despicable.
As reported on the Feminist website Reduux, “Germany’s Parliament (Bundestag) has received the votes necessary to remove a section of the Criminal Code which made the possession of child sexual abuse materials a felony crime. Once the bill, passed last Thursday, comes into effect, minimum sentences for the possession of child pornography will be reduced, and the offense will be downgraded to a misdemeanor.”
I am an Australian. I was born here and will hopefully die here. The strange thing that I have just encountered is that my late Dad was an Australian but he wanted to go " home. "
I took him back to the place he requested and I stood there and wondered why. Why did he want to go back to a place where he had not seen or visited since his birth?
He didn't expect to die. None of us do. It is not like many of us get that horrible conversation with our Doctor when he or she says " sorry, you are going to die. Sort out your life and make sure everything is in order.
Dad didn't have that warning. He was a fit, healthy, and active man who had been down on his luck. The Covid fallout I guess. He tried to keep his business alive. Paid his employees. He wouldn't get vaccinated. No way.
Dad lost our family home. Our family business. But it was OK. Because he did the right thing.
I am reasonably successful in business so Mum and Dad came to live with me. We bought a caravan. Pretty flash actually. Cost a few bucks and Mum and Dad moved in. We made sure that the power was hooked up and paid. It wasn't my duty. It was my honour.
A few weeks ago, Dad went out for a walk. He got hit by an e-scooter. He fell on the concrete footpath and died not too long after.
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