treaty to ban cluster bombs
From Avaaz.org
Final negotiations are underway right now in Dublin, Ireland on a treaty to ban cluster bombs.
Cluster munitions don’t just kill during war–they scatter small, unexploded “bomblets” on the ground. When children pick them up, they are often maimed or killed. Most governments agree that they should be banned–but many (including Australia) are now trying to weaken the proposed treaty with loopholes, exemptions, and delays.
Negotiations end this Thursday. If enough of us raise our voices, we can drown out the arms manufacturers and convince our governments to do the right thing. Click here to send a message to ask the federal government to do the right thing,
In a spot of legal bother? Just blame the victim!
Some people don’t like road cyclists. They think we “look gay” in our brightly coloured lycra. Wearing bright colours when cycling serves a useful purpose, so while it mightn’t be the most fashionable, you’ll just have to excuse us. Maybe we could wear dark colours which would be more masculine, but then we’d be harder to see and you’d probably get angry at us for that too.
Today some idiot named Jason intentionally made a pack of 50 cyclists crash. He then sped off and when apprehended by police, claimed that the crash was a result of car trouble.
“I was just driving along and I had a car failure and now I’m in trouble - I dunno.”
So by Jason’s logic, a random group of 50 cyclists have a collective axe to grind on gas/petrol driving Ford Falcon owners. That’s right! Jason is the victim here, not the cyclists.
“I’m not a cyclists hater, I’m not nothing,”
Yes you are Jason. You’re also a liar and a coward.
You mightn’t like us, but next time you are “stuck” behind a group of cyclists, have a little patience. You’ll get past in a few moments… and immediately be stuck behind another obstacle. Do you really think if the group of cyclists weren’t there the traffic would be flowing freely? Of course it wouldn’t. The traffic in Sydney is fucked at the best of times.
Cars kill cyclists. Cyclists occasionally delay cars. The stakes are higher for cyclists. Hold that thought.
Cyclists aren’t going away and nor are cars so let’s all grow up and get along. Hold that thought too.
Edit - Treadly and the BV Forums have some thoughts on Jason too.
Born to choose
My cycle to work takes me past an abortion clinic. Every day three old people stand out the front. Their sole purpose is to confront the abortion clinic’s patients. In doing so they harass people who they know nothing about, nor do they know anything about their circumstances. Despite this they see it as their duty to tell young women what to do with their bodies.
As if having an abortion was not traumatic enough.
As I rode past my eyes met with one of the religious old men. I just shook my head. I did not say a word, I didn’t need to because the look on my face was enough. All the old man said to me was, “That’s your choice”.
Exactly! That’s my choice. What part of “choice” is he unable to grasp?
If there is a God why would he want to be associated with any of these people? The answer is simple. He wouldn’t.
The following day it was raining. On my usual cycle to work I was interested to see that the religious trio were nowhere to be seen. Their faith must be tested too vigorously when the skies opened.
At least now, if you are a woman having to face an abortion you just have to wait for the heavens to open.
Water for Mulga Bore school
Ms Jenny Macklin MP
Minister for Indigenous Affairs
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Ms Macklin,
Re. Water for Mulga Bore school
Firstly, congratulations on the Government’s historic Motion of Apology to Indigenous Peoples. Congratulations too on the Government’s commitment to close the gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians in areas such as life expectancy, education achievement and employment opportunities. I welcomed these with all my heart
Today I am writing to you about the water-quality crisis at the school at Mulga Bore in the Northern Territory. According to a report in The Age on February 28, the school is closed because they have no water. According to the report, “drinking water pumped from two bores is so severely contaminated with nitrates that young children, babies and pregnant mothers are at serious risk […] Mulga Bore’s nitrate levels are 1½ times greater than World Health Organisation standards for developing countries.”
It is almost unimaginable that a school here in Australia has been closed because of a lack of drinkable water. It is an image straight out of the third world. Both the symbolism, and the reality of its impact on the life expectancy, education achievement and employment opportunities of the children of Mulga Bore, must be devastating.
Are you aware of the situation at Mulga Bore? What is being done about it?
I would urge you to do all that you can to bring about a speedy reopening of the school at Mulga Bore and to ensure its long-term success.
Sincerely yours
Campbell
calendar gripe
I don’t think I’m alone, when planning my days and weeks, in thinking about Saturday and Sunday as linked in some way. Commonly this block of days is called the ‘weekend’.
So religious, cultural and historic factors notwithstanding, why is it so hard to find a calendar that puts Saturday and Sunday next to one another?
It really shits me.
tis the season
This is pretty classy
See page 3 for 20% off Ansell condoms now that’s what I call immaculate contraception.
But don’t be fooled by the *FREE WALL CLOCK! The Roman numeral for 4 is wrong (IIII)
* With every purchase over $29.95 from this catalogue. Limit 1 per customer.
a recycled revolution
I am struck by the similarities between Rudd’s ‘education revolution’ and episode 29 of The West Wing. (Hello, my name is Campbell and I am a West Wing nerd).
Basically the White House staff come up with the idea of giving scholarships to teacher trainees who agree to work in inner city public schools. By the end of the episode this grand plan, which is to be the beginning of a ‘permanent revolution’* in education, gets watered down to a possible pilot program that might fund 100 scholarships.
Sorry Kev, giving away laptops to all secondary students is not an education revolution. Improving infrastructure at public shcools and conditions for teachers might be a better place to start.
*The phrase ‘permanent revolution’ is removed from the President’s speech as it apparently comes from Mao Zedong’s ‘Little Red Book’. Which made me think of this clip.
The Spring Racing Carnival in Melbourne
A new batch of “fashions” for the big day - $500
Getting your hair styled just like all the other girls are wearing it this year - $200
Oily fried food and warm beer and wine for the day - $300
Having a bit of a shag on a greasy otto bin at the Melbourne Cup - Priceless
runner : rider
Runner: I spend a lot of my running time on shared cycle/pedestrian paths. Often you come zooming past from behind and I don’t even know you’re there. It can be quite a shock. Couldn’t you ring your bell or something?
Rider: Dude. A bell would add like 30 grams to my bike. That’s going to seriously slow me down.
Runner: Maybe you could try the new Shimano Ultramicronads. It’s a bell made out of a lightweight titanium alloy, weighs in at 8 grams and costs about $300. I hear Lance Armstong and Schapelle Corby use one.
Rider: I think you mean Cadel Evans. Sounds good but still, 8 extra grams.
Runner: Well you could always lose a few kilos from your gut.
Rider: That’s a bit below the belt.
Runner: Actually your gut is above your belt but now that you mention it you’re carrying a bit of excess baggage on your fat arse too. If you can’t use a bell couldn’t you at least call out to let me know you’re about to pass?
Rider: I suppose I could but it might shatter my mental state. See every time I pass a rider I’m telling myself that I’ve broken away from the bidon for my sprint down the Champ du Ulysses and I’m passing another Belgian drug cheat just before the finishing line.
Runner: OK. Whatever. But if I do hear you coming up behind don’t be surprised if I hog the middle of the path or throw an elbow.
Latest News: Australian Govt refuses to admit its fuck ups
So the Australian Govt is going to appeal the Haneef visa ruling.
Kevin Andrews justified this by saying:
Further information has been provided to me after I made the original decision and that further information actually highlighted my suspicion in relation to Dr Haneef
Oh really Kevin? If your case was strong in the first place you wouldn’t need “further information” would you? You’re not just making that up to cover your own arse are you? What exactly do you have other than your suspicions?
For the record Kev, evidence and suspicions are not the same thing.
Also Kev while we discussing how the dangers of unused SIM cards can undermine national security can I ask you about the millions of dollars the AWB directly gave Saddam Hussein? Has everyone involved in that gone to jail yet? I hope so! But I doubt it.
Now before you call me un-Australian (which is an abstract, bullshit term used by idiots) I would just like to clarify that I expect the Australian authorities to protect us from “threats” and pursue and punish those applicable. I just want them to have some real evidence before they do so and that they don’t use people like Hicks or Haneef to push their own agendas.
Surely that is not too much to ask?