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As the opportunity came up for a road trip north again this winter into warmer weather I couldn’t pass it up. Considering all that has gone on over the past to two years globally, its nice to be able to travel freely once again while still being cautious at the same time. These are a small sample of pictures taken along the way at various locations. This has always been part of my retirement bucket list, I hope to keep doing it as long as I can.

Another decision passed down by the American Supreme Court (or as Jon Stewart describes it as the “Fox News of Justice”) that was against the wishes of around sixty five percent (70% in 2013 when misinformation was not the weapon of choice) of the entire population of the US shows how democracy has evolved in this new world order of the GOP. They are not concerned about one vote one value, they are only concerned about holding onto power at any cost. By enforcing minority values on an entire population is not much different than Islamic state rule or Taliban type tactics. This is a party that claim to be the moral gate keepers for the entire population so concerned about the life of the unborn no matter how it was conceived yet this same philosophy also means you are on your own after birth. Not to mention the social outcome for unwanted children and the welfare of the mother. When you operate with this sort of logic against the wishes of the majority there is no good outcome at the end. Not to mention other factors being revealed in the Jan 6th hearings with the same GOP. In any other civilised democracy Trump & his minions would already be behind bars but at the time of this post nothing but the outer circle are currently wearing the orange jumpsuits despite overwhelming evidence that multiple crimes have been committed.

Just back from a recent trip to the Gold Coast playing in the Australian Open Bowls tournament. While we were blessed with perfect weather and great bowls clubs to visit I have to say it’s not my favourite destination of choice. Only because I prefer to wind down rather than a wind up when it comes to taking a break. To have so much high density living so close to a beach, looking through my eyes is graffiti on nature. Especially with those huge high rises, in my view that sort of development so close to the coast line is like throwing a tin of paint on a masterpiece work of art. In the meantime while away this web site also came under multiple attacks again since I put up a link to a video on the stupidity of embracing a gun culture in a modern highly populated society. This obviously upset quite a few people but they still don’t have the courage to make an argument identifying themselves. Instead they troll behind a VPN and try to kill a message they don’t agree with because their reality vaporises when it comes to arguing against truth.

A month or so ago I posted an article on propaganda that was broad comment on the invasion of Ukraine plus how it is used world wide for political power. In the meantime we had a federal election in Australia and much to my surprise there was a change of government. So here was a rare victory for truth over misinformation as it was climate change policies or lack of them that turned this political tide. Now once again we have a tragic mass shooting in America and yes, those good ole boys from GOP or as we like to call them these days, “The American Taliban” still keep pumping out the same absurdities about a “good guy with a gun” and lets not forget the mental health card as legitimate arguments to do nothing about policy changes. Well it seems the good guys with a gun were there, plus more good guys with guns some 14mins later. Yet all that carnage still took place, but they keep looking for any answer except the obvious because that answer they can’t fathom. This is conservatism American style in the 21st century, everything they purport to believe in is the exact opposite to the truth. Which in turn poses a direct threat to everyone. This is what happens when you immerse yourself in a flawed culture without the ability to zoom out in changing circumstances and problem solve. The sad part is, these misguided people are always the minority in terms of the American population wishes overall, yet still determine policy. They suppress voting, stack courts, deny science, deny facts and determine anyone who disagrees with them the enemy not a fellow citizen. I once mentioned in a previous post on the gift good comedians have looking at something objectively and highlighting how firmly held fictional beliefs are easily dismantled with humour and truth. Jim Jefferies may be crude, rude & foreign which are all the ingredients to make American gun lovers angry. However he still has every argument covered on the insane logic they use for no change to gun laws. This skit is almost decade old now and was made before the Las Vegas mass shooting but still every bit as relevant today as it was then.  One final point to all the gun nuts out there, with those mythical fantasies on freedom and fear. You have no idea what real freedom is until you can go about your everyday business, send your kids to school and never have to think about others carrying a gun or be concerned. That’s a freedom that most western wealthy countries have that you will never ever know. Part one below, Part two here.

While it might be too late to stop Climate change as it’s already here we still have the chance to prevent it from being catastrophic. The reason we are here in the first place comes down to one thing and one thing only, “Conservatism”. This is not just here but a drift from what was once a shared belief into something that became political. Now with it’s reluctance to accept science and data just because they think there is political mileage to be gained from it. Much like a Dr telling their patient to take up smoking.  So here we are, extreme weather events almost weekly now somewhere around the globe that we have to accept as being normal. Given we now have a National Election in progress here in Australia it’s time to be reminded on who took any action on emissions over the past 20-30 yrs and who undid those attempts. Voters need to be reminded how civilisation has evolved from living in caves to landing on the moon. It doesn’t come from faith or believing in the Sun God. It comes from acquired knowledge and using that knowledge to progress and deal with challenges. Be it disease control, resource management, global population impacts and everything else. Climate change is just another one of those challenges that we already have solutions for. Yet instead of being the number one priority on everyone’s list it becomes obscure to some sectors of the population due to that same wilful ignorance. Yet a recent representative global population survey shows over 64% want action on climate change. Break that down to affluent, well educated countries and it jumps up to to well over 75%. Which also makes you wonder how this minority opinion keeps dominating government action over the decades to the point of bringing down multiple leaders of government in Australia. All over one issue, Climate Change policy.

While the world is currently focused on a dictator causing havoc in Europe. Australia’s east coast and elsewhere are treading water with endless rainfall that just keeps coming. It’s ironic that in 2020 I posted the exact opposite where much of the east coast was burning with bushfires. Which in turn prompted me to begin posting about our government’s inaction over climate change. So here we are two years on and it’s the same story. Weather events on steroids keep happening year after year but for some people they keep talking it up as natural weather. The once in a 100 or 1000 year event, yet it’s funny how insurance companies don’t see it the same way.