The wider World is sick too.

The author of a book called "Bombing to Win" (now that's a title to resonate with) is advising us that the US is developing a super "Bunker-buster" bomb, just in time to bomb Iran. It will cost a mere $38, so lets hope they build lots of them.

Great news, folks. Lets see if we can precipitate a total World-wide war, as the "War on Terror" has not brought the citizens of the western countries into enough submission, yet. I mean, it worked for a while, but the effect has worn off. The Democrats in the US Congress want to set a deadline for withdrawal - September 2008.

That's right. The point of the "War on Terror" is to -terrorise us, the citizens of the "Coalition of the un-Willing".

In this regard, it is worth noting that the failure of the burghers of New South Wales to elect a Liberal Government in that State, has increased the likelihood of a fraudulent terror attack in Australia some time between now and the next Federal Election. Remember the bombing of a leading international Hotel? (Clue: think Paris)? That worked pretty well, for the Spooks. Their Organization was rewarded with a great increase in its funding, after the mandatory Inquiry.

We have a major international convention scheduled for Sydney, in September, with the next APEC summit. A fraudulent stunt around that time would help Little Johnny over the line, by scaring the citizens, prior to an election, expected late in this year. We need something more frightening than the "Be alert, but not alarmed" Fridge Magnet campaign, obviously.

Who knows, otherwise people might exercise their democratic rights to elect Kevin Rudd. That would not do, at all!


We could always invade Nauru, a la the Iron Lady's attack on the Falklands. That worked well for her. (Photo above is of Maggie mourning her great mentor, Ronald Regan).

Perhaps some of our recently arrived Sri Lankan"Boat people" could stage a riot over there, while awaiting the Immigration Dept's assessment of their Refugee Status.

That's be enough excuse for an invasion, surely, to protect the Nauruans.

The body politic is very ill indeed!

We have known for a long time that the NSW State Political scene is sick.
Quite how sick, I did not know, until just recently.

Peddling of influence is commonplace in NSW.
Our local member does not hesitate to try to put pressure on the local business chamber, to try to get me to shut up about the Kangaloon Aquifer. He complained that I was apparently advising people to vote 1 Green, 2 Liberal in Kiama. (I was present when this phone call took place - and while I heard only one end of the conversation, I do know for a fact that the call was made.)

Anyway, the allegation is wrong. What I have been saying (privately, up until now) is that it is my intention to vote that way. As far as I know, this is still (only just) a democracy, and I am entitled to vote how I want.

The fact that my friends and colleagues have been subjected to pressure, to get them to try to influence me is appalling. It just confirms me in my intention to vote in a way that would end up not supporting Matt Brown.

The Greens have decided to give their preferences to Labor (in Kiama) as they judge that over-all, the ALP is slightless bad than the Liberal Party, and that the Liberals' decision to hand over the Industrial Relations powers to the Federal Government was the deciding factor. While I understand that decision, on the full range of policies, personally, I cannot bring myself to follow that voting recommendation. So, I am voting on a "Single Issue" policy - for the first time in my life. I have previously declared myself to be a life-long Labor Voter up until this election. But that was a position formed when Labor politicians like EGW, and Tom Uren believed in Labor Party policy, social justice, and the "light on the hill". Not this mob.

*****

Back in November, I went to my local member, Matt Brown, quietly and respectfully, and told him that the information he had been given about potential environmental damage to the Kangaloon Aquifer was wrong. He had been briefed by the Government and the Sydney Catchment Authority. He disagreed (fair enough). Except that we quoted facts and figures from SCA documents. He undertook to check it out, then came back and he still said that we were wrong. He now knows that we were indeed right (confirmed by the head of the SCA, no less), but by then, he had locked himself into a position opposed to our campaign to protect the Kangaloon Aquifer.

So there it is Matt. You were wrong. You now know it, but you do not have the decency to acknowledge that fact. But Matt's personalised pressuring my friends and colleagues, confirms my decision to vote on a "personal" basis - for just about anyone but Matt Brown.

*****

Since I made that decision, our Kangaloon Aquifer signs have been torn down. Who stands to benefit from that action? ("cui bono" as the old Roman adage is). It isn't "rocket science". Only one party support pumping of the Kangaloon Aquifer. (Our signs were not in breach of any provisions of the Electoral Act, and they were not torn down by Council or the RTA.)

*****

Other things are going on, as well.

The process of declaring large projects as "critical infrastructure projects" (which brings them under the provisions of "Part 3A" of the EPA Act), creates a perfect situation to institutionalise corruption within the State planning system. Developments which are controversial become subject to the decision of just one person, the Minister for Planning, Mr Frank Sartor. And the decision to deem a project subject to Part 3A is itself beyond appeal or review.

A "Part 3A" declaration lifts a project above all normal planning controls, including all Local Government planning procedures and normal State Government controls, such as environmental controls. Mining companies and large developers love this, and are beating a path to Frank Sartor's door.

No wonder! From a sociological analysis of that situation, it creates the perfect situation to promote collusion between developers and the Government (at an individual or governmental level). I am not making any accusations, merely providing a classical sociological analysis of the relationship between developers and Government.

We don't need Brian Burke in NSW, we have Part 3A.

*****

TO THE VOTERS OF NSW I SAY:
ENJOY YOUR TASTE OF DEMOCRACY TOMORROW.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE INVADING IRAQ FOR: TO SHOW THEM HOW GOOD DEMOCRACY IS.

Democracy is dying in Kiama Electorate.

Kindly read my posting over at The Nature of Robertson about how our political freedoms in Kiama are being restricted.

Some body (or some people) have been pulling down signs opposing the pumping of the Kangaloon Aquifer.

These signs are comments on a particular engineering project which is being implemented by the Sydney Catchment Authority.

They in no way say who to vote for in the next election.
They do not contravene any provisions of the Electoral Act (we have checked).
The Council is not likely to have paid overtime to their employees, to pull down signs about a project which the Council itself opposes, over a weekend.

Some of them are made by kids, for goodness sake!
Not all of these signs have yet been removed (as far as I know). Let us hope this outrage stops RIGHT NOW!


Freedom of expression is being repressed in the Kiama Electorate. Strangely, further east from Sheepwash Road (in the Goulburn Electorate) our signs have not been touched.

When considering such an action, ask yourself: Who stands to benefit?
Well, it ain't Rocket Science.

There is only one political party which supports the pumping of water from the Kangaloon Aquifer. It does this, regardless of risks to the environment, and risks to the livelihood of local farmers.

That is the ALP.

Their representative in Kiama is Mr Matt Brown.

Kindly draw your own conclusions.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Where do I start?

1. Kelvin Thompson's stupid lapse?
2. Kevin Rudd's appointment of Young Ludwig as Shadow Attorney General? (a "courageous decision" in the terms of "Yes, Minister" methinks).
3. Shelley Archer, in WA, getting caught up in the CCC investigations over there - lets blame everyone else but ourselves, eh, Shelley?
4. Dr Heather Beattie, (Peter's wife, apparently an academic specialist in Nursing issues) about to be drafted for Lord Mayor of Brisbane. What? I can just hear the screams of anguish over that one. It didn't help Nick Greiner's Premiership, having his wife on the Sydney Council. Heather may well be a thoroughly well qualified candidate, but...
   
5. Morrie Iemma's announcement of a pipeline from the Wingecarribee Reservoir (between Robertson and Moss Vale) to Goulburn. This idea was kicked around back in 2005, but nothing has happened since. Great - a mere $40 million, for a pipeline, which is supposed to be able to be constructed in 12 months. What a joke! Try 3 years, if it would take a day. The people of Sutton Forest, etc will resist this pipeline going through their Horse Studs and vineyards. But, hey, Morrie don't care about them, as there's not a single Labor Vote to be lost from there. I am not against giving the people of Goulburn a helping hand, but what happened to John Howard's announcement of a pipeline from the Googong Reservoir to Goulburn? That idea was floated just a few weeks ago. This Canberra Times report of November 2006, says coyly that Mr Iemma was "unaware" of the proposal. Cute. That's Morrie, at his best.
6. Of course, the water from the Wingecarribee Reservoir is primarily Shoalhaven Water transferred (stolen) by the SCA, anyway. So, having been stolen by Sydney, what's to prevent Morrie giving it away to Goulburn. After all they have an independent candidate there, who was Mayor of Goulburn until a week ago. Not that I am suggesting there is any political component to this idea!
7. And today we learnt of rumours that two coal mining groups are seriously investigating extending coal mining under the Southern Highlands. One from Sutton Forest through Moss Vale towards the catchment area. That might take them under the Wingecarribee Reservoir, and would definitely require it going under the Wingecarribee River. This is a longwall mining proposal. Subsidence issues abound. The second one is of an Indian Mining company talking about mining under the kanaloon Aquifer area itself. Terrific. There's every likelihood that subsidence will destroy the Nepean and Avon Rivers, if that goes ahead.
   

What a day of bad news!

The Ghost of WA Inc.

The ghostly figure at the centre of the WA Inc scandal from years ago has re-emerged at the centre of yet another scandal, supposedly to do with currying favour on behalf of clients.
Now the Schoolboy has been caught out sharing the Ghost's play-lunch, it seems.

It is a terrible mess, and of course, there is probably nothing to it (on a true ethical or moral basis). But the Little Headmaster is wanting to beat the Schoolboy's trousers. Unfortunately for him, the first person to get in the way of the Headmaster's wildly swinging cane was Senator Soup-Can (one of the Headmaster's own team).

It might look tough justice for Senator Soup-Can. However, I would favour the view that it is the very least he deserves for his failure to protect the Barrup Peninsula and the ancient Aboriginal Rock Art (petroglyphs) from the Woodside company's Natural Gas operation. I figure it is a kind of political karma, for the Soup-Can man.

Interestingly, the "holier than thou" tones being propagated out of the hauty noses of Abbot and Costello might cause embarrassment to numerous business leaders, with interests in WA (and who of them doesn't?). It is apparent that if anyone in business wanted to succeed in WA, they first hired Brian and Julian, to smoothe their path. And that means we are talking about the largest merchant bankers, and mining companies in the land. Careful, Pete. Don't let your enthusiasm for "fagging the new Schoolboy" find yourself causing embarrassment to your own partisan bank-rollers. It's just not done, Peter. Ask Ron, and some of his mates, for some advice, before you make more of a fool of yourself than normal.

If you are interested in more on the current harrumphing of politicians and media pundits, go to " The Road to Surfdom".

Vandals in the Southern Highlands

The Southern Highlands are home to a bunch of Vandals, as we all know.

Here is Proof. It is on Ministerial Letterhead, so it must be true. (Please click on the image of the letter to enlarge it to readable size print.)

We should all be on alert now for an invasion of Visigoths as well.

Who do these people think they are kidding?


Here is the one cracked pipe in question.
After reading Mr Debus's Press Release, did you think that there were hundreds of smashed pipes? Gosh, do you think he was over-reacting?





It is wonderful what a Minister of the Crown can dictate to a Press Secretary in the post-prandial session of the day. Incidentally, my photos of the water squirting out of the cracked pipe were taken at about 10:45am. Mr Debus's Press release seems to have been circulated at 5:07 pm.

All Mr Debus's best work seems to be done at this time of the day. This is reminiscent of Mr Debus's famous "Oversized Dragonfly and an odorous bog" quote (see Daily Telegraph, 13 December 2006).

Seemingly it is a machine cut to the pipe, but it is clearly not a Chainsaw cut (from the regular cut, and the smooth edges from which the water is squirting). How many "vandals" do you know who carry electric generators with them? You could not use an average handy-man saw to cut these pipes. Have a look at the size and thickness of the wall. This kind of reinforced pipe would be an absolute nightmare to cut through with handyman tools.

Applying "Ockham's Razor" , it is incumbent upon us to find the simplest possible explanation for this event.

To my eyes, this looks like a fine blade cut, such as would be incurred if a "drop saw" was brought down in the wrong place, when these huge 22 metre pipes were being measured and cut in the factory. That is my guess.

An engineer has reviewed the photographic evidence and suggested that perhaps it is a kind of stress fracture in the pipe, as a result of handling errors when the pipes were being laid out.

• Eric Conley (an Engineer) is in no doubt the damage to the pipe could not have been done post laying!


• "The rupture was caused by a 'beam failure' (a term applied to pipe construction of this type. It is laterally wound to withstand high pressure)


• "This failure is either a manufacturing fault or mechanical damage cause pre-laying either in the manufacturing, handling or cutting phase, or, maybe transportation of the PVC pipe production.


• "It is 'highly unlikely to have been caused by any trauma to it post laying.


• It could have been the result of poor handling during transit, loading or unloading or during the laying process it was longitudinaly bent.


• "Any bashing or tampering, bending or pushing after laying would have caused far more damage."

Photos of the ends of pipes prior to laying, to show their "machine cut " ends, and the size of the pipes.

The thickness of the walls is illustrated by my "hand model's" little finger. Thanks Liz.

This is the huge amount of water being splashed all over the place after being pumped from the aquifer.

It comes out of a curved section of pipe (90 degree bend) and pours over a galvanised tray, to disperse it and allow it to drop to the ground, in order to be "oxygenated", and to disperse the pressure of the rushing water (presumably) before it seeps through the sandbag levees, and then into a pipe whence it floods into the Nepean River.



Just let me ask one question:

WHO IS THE REAL VANDAL

ON THE KANGALOON AQUIFER?

Financial tip tips me over the edge.

I start to wonder about my fellow man, when someone I have met once, and have written emails to on a few occasions, gets me so wrong, that he could send me the following email.
Names of persons and companies have been altered to protect the guilty parties.

Hi Denis
I am presently in Perth Wa looking at another Uranium company over here its
called Xxxxxxx1.
If u buy Xxxxxxx1 shares by friday next week u are entitled to a 1 for 3
share issue in Xxxxxxx1's next company at no cost to u in a Uranium company
called Xxxxxxx2 in the Northern Territory.
This deal is a bargain and in years to come will be worth heaps.
I bought about 45k shares in a company called Xxxxxxxx3 in January 2006 and
presently they are worth about 3.25 a share in january 2006 i got them for
the price of 33 cents a share.!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry i did not make the saturday night meeting, a big rain storm held me up
and ew other things happened as well.
How did the night go and more importantly did (Person A) front up to the event.
I will catch up with u when i get back from Perth on late sunday.
Gxxxx
p.s big write up in (NewspaperX) today about Xxxxxxx3, Xxxxxxx1 and
Xxxxxx4 it all looks good so far.

Frankly I was so gob-smacked by this seemingly well-meaning "tip", that it tipped me over the edge. I replied as follows:

Subject: Dear Prime Polluter.

Hi Xxxxx

Glad your investments are going well. Thanks for the tip.

Unfortunately, I am as poor as a church-mouse, and such proposals are totally beyond my ability to take advantage of.

---

As for whether I would ethically consider investing in a uranium mine, I will leave you to ponder, but you might find a clue in my re-wording of the Subject line in the email.

I know that coal and other petro-chemical industries are probably going to cause a catastrophic collapse of the earth's climate as we know it.

It's simple. All that CO2 will cause the temperature of the worlds oceans to rise to the point that the Oceans will start giving off CO2, (currently they act like a sink to absorb most of the CO2 we produce - far more than the world's forests absorb).

Once that happens, you will get a catastrophic melting of the polar caps, which will destroy the circulatory flow of ocean currents, which will cause the Gulf Stream to stop flowing. Europe and Nth America will be plunged into a mini Ice Age.

That will cause such Geo-political instability that world wars are inevitable.

The Ice Age might even be a really big one (like the last one, with 3km of ice over the top of Europe as we know it now. I am talking about something sufficiently huge and powerful to carve out the Great Lakes of North America. Serious stuff.

These events appear to occur quite suddenly (in geological terms, maybe over 100 or so years). So, start knitting your booties and gloves now.

*****

Long after that catastrophe, any human life forms which might still exist (say in 40, 000 years time) as the earth starts to recover from the next Ice Age, those humans will still be dealing with the poisonous residue of the Nuclear Cycle which your Mining Company friends will have bestowed upon the earth.

Sorry - but that's how it will pan out. Just because you and I may not be around to actually see it all happen, does not mean that this is not a genuine ethical issue.

You can see that I am the wrong person to send this offer to - for several reasons. In a weird way, I am almost flattered that you did send it to me. "Thanks, but no, thanks".

---

Person A, who did turn up at the Launch, and the farewell party, is far more "Green" than I am. So, I doubt you would have much in common.

Cheers

Denis

Love to Grow: Grow to Love