I don't know whether I'm more disturbed by the fact that these sites exist (including ones which promise to send emails to people after you've been dispatched from this mortal coil), or that I'm tempted to send myself an email in 5 years time. I think I'll resist the tempation... by the time 5 years rolls around, anything that I can send myself now will probably qualify as spam in the future!
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well... We're back from a relaxing weekend away in the North Queensland sun, only to find it was a weekend filled with unprecedented violence in Sydney. We live about 15 minutes from the main flashpoint and about 5 minutes down the road from the secondary area to which the violence spilled over - in fact
Laurette grew up in the "Sutherland Shire" region to which Cronulla is the heart. To say that it's a nasty shock is an understatement, however, I think with many things like this, once it happens you can use 20-20 hindsight to suggest that it was becoming more and more likely.
In some cases you see that it started with a weekend of young Australians "taking back the beach" in an area which had become more and more dangerous - there were recent attacks on the iconic life savers by youths in the area recently which is a cheap shot in anyone's language - attacking those who volunteer so many hours to making the beaches safer for others. Some of the "rioters" initially appeared no more dangerous than the crowd at a football match following their teams victory - it was hard to consider them to be capable of turning to such violent acts when they were in the middle of singing our national anthem - a song with "girt by sea" is not exactly what you would consider "hard as nails".
I don't really want to add too much at the moment as it's still sinking in as to the impact of the riots, the driving force behind them and to just what extent people have taken advantage of the opportunity to rebel against so many constraints in today's society.
As for the Australian "Lucky Country" image - sadly, I think it is under threat of being revised following our recent track record - international drug smugglers, terrorist activity and now racism riots have become the imagery attached to this land that I love so much...
Sedition fears unfounded, says PM - National - smh.com.au
"Mr Howard said today there was no difference to what the government proposed in its terror legislation with regard to sedition, to what has been in the Crimes Act for the last 50 years.
He told ABC television arguments that the laws were outdated were no excuse for accusations that the government was attacking free speech.
"Can I just express my total astonishment at the argument that is being mounted about these sedition laws," he said.
"Can somebody please tell me how in substance the sedition provisions in the counterterrorism bill are different from the sedition law that we've now had for many years."
Sedition fears unfounded, says PM - National - smh.com.au
umm.. ok.. can I just ask the PM one question then?
"If the provisions are no different from the laws we've now had for many years, why then are you pushing through an amendment?".
And, if you're feeling generous enough to allow me a second question - "why are you rushing them through both houses in an act that stifles debate and arguably abuses your current authority, raising serious questions as to the amount of respect you have for the legislation, the process or the viewpoints of anyone who could possibly have a differing opinion to your own?"
This from a government that has a fear campaign on the one hand, and attempts to dispel fears on the other with a "be alert, not alarmed" campaign against terror - I don't think I could get out of the carpark after a sitting of parliament without being alarmed!
sorry about that... I'll try to keep my political content to a minimum...