Comments for Chapter 5

Comment on Me & motorbikes by TerjeP (say tay-a)

TerjeP (say tay-a) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:24:58 +0000

I was cautiously turned left in the car today when a motorbike suddenly overtook me on the left cut across my path and turned right. Some people have a serious death wish.

Comment on Me & motorbikes by opit

opit — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:15:12 +0000

The quip ‘murdercycles’ isn’t one I can dispute : but it is one that I don’t let get in the way. I’ve been cut off twice in the space of a few hundred meters, so have a low opinion of the alertness of car drivers. Diving off an embankment in fog on a Bultaco 250 Metralla in 1968 didn’t enhance the operation of my shoulder : but that, an exhaust burn, and very minor road rash pretty well tell my score : not that I’ve ridden that much the last few decades. A 1973 CB750 with Windjammer III fairing sits in the yard – and works !
Dad was funny. He and mum did all the right noises to discourage a guy from riding – but when I persevered and got one anyway…Dad was up to give instructions ! Seems he had a bellyful of injured and killed friends from racing British tracks during WW II…and he had been in the thick of it!

Comment on Aboriginal socialism must end by John Humphreys

John Humphreys — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:45:04 +0000

To avoid language meaning nothing, I think there needs to be clear definitions of political words. By “socialism” I mean the political structure identified by Marx and many consequent socialist theorists and politicians: the control of resources by a non-voluntary governing body (ie a government).

Note that if the governing body was voluntary, and voluntarily acquired their resources, then that would be part of the political structure “liberalism”.

I should also be clear that what I’m worried about are the rights of aboriginal people, not the vague concept of an aboriginal nation. I believe community only makes sense when it is voluntary, and so it is vitally important to give each person the right to their own life, and then leave them free to make their own choices. Currently, aboriginal people in their socialist homelands are not free to control their own lives, but are pawns of their governing land councils and other non-voluntary bodies.

Comment on Aboriginal socialism must end by frogmatt3

frogmatt3 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:04:17 +0000

I am in agreement with everything there except the use of the word Socialism. The only thing remotely resembling socialism in remote communities is that of the community structure itself. Not the artificial structures placed and maintained by the government, nor the twisted structures that emerge when a few individuals are corrupted, but the real structure. The one that continues to endure after 40/ 60/ 120,000 years – anybodies guess really.

And your right about Native Title – it isn’t enough. In fact, it is being used as an instrument of colonialism like Land Rights before it. The fact of the matter is that Aboriginal people NEVER relinquished sovereignty, and Arthur Phillip had explicit directions from the Crown not to extend British sovereignty into Aboriginal Lands. There is no obligation for Aboriginal People to follow our laws what-so-ever. And as we speak, on many remote communities, the Original Land Owners are rejecting government policy and interference. In some ways the intervention may yet prove to be beneficial, but only because it has demonstrated just how monstrously incompetent the government really is. A bit like how Pauline Hanson inadvertently revealed aspects of the extent of racism in Australia.

Comment on Aboriginal socialism must end by John Humphreys

John Humphreys — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:34:44 +0000

The consequences is exactly what I’m looking at… and it’s not pretty. Though not surprising either.

I don’t think poverty is caused by white people, black people, yellow people or any other colour. It is caused by bad policies.

One of the worst policy ideas that humanity has ever thought of was government control of land, resources and capital (socialism). It has failed everywhere that it has been tried — including the Cambodian Khmer Rouge, Mao’s China, Lenin & Stalin’s Russia, Nth Korea and the aboriginal homelands.

Native title simply isn’t enough. And neither is it enough to give control just to a handful of aboriginal people running a council and having all power. The land in the homelands should be given to the aboriginal people so that everybody has their own land, and then they can form communities in whatever way they prefer.

Land ownership is a right that everybody deserves, and this includes aboriginals living in remote rural communities.

Comment on Aboriginal socialism must end by frogmatt3

frogmatt3 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:36 +0000

You are not looking at the consequences of “socialism” in the homeland communities. We don’t have an adequate description for Traditional polotics in Australia. The poverty you are seeing results from white people deciding what is best for black people and interfering in local decision making structures. As long as we continue to operate from a Euro-centric frame of reference, we will never understand.

Comment on 11,323 (+5) by Michael Sutcliffe

Michael Sutcliffe — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 12:35:05 +0000

Happy birthday. One thing I noticed past 30 was that it was harder for my body to keep up with my desire to enjoy myself (in the ways that I liked)!

Comment on Me & motorbikes by Chris

Chris — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:25:06 +0000

I know what cha mean John, I’ve also had a fall on those white lines about 3 years ago, was turning right and leaning it over so rolled on the throttle to stand the bike up at the same time my rear wheel was going over the white line and vamos no grunt so just slid out – thankfully the car behind me didn’t just drive over me as I slid to the edge of the road.
Then just 7 or 8 months ago after just taking the same GS500 in for a much needed service where the guy told me I needed a new front tyre I’d decided to lay off the bike until summer returned as didn’t have the coin for a new tyre – late night coming home from work caught in first rains for months lots of oil on the road and bugger all grip saw the front end slide out in a left turn, seriously bruising my knee…
Crashes aren’t fun, neither is injury (thus my desire to TRY keep my bike in good running order, lowers those nervous thoughts at 110km on the freeway in shitty jeans and t-shirt) but bikes are a regular reminder that life is temporal and you should be making the most of it. Keep a bike.

Comment on Me & motorbikes by TerjeP (say tay-a)

TerjeP (say tay-a) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 02:01:41 +0000

I ran into too many stationary cows and stationary trees riding around the farm to ever trust myself to ride in traffic with moving cars. Call me boring but I want to die old.

Comment on Cappadocia by Gülşehir Nevşehir Kapadokya

Gülşehir Nevşehir Kapadokya — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:49:38 +0000

Wonderful work