Category: Opinion

Outside America, Looking In.


Im not an American thank someones God.
That about sets the tone as a man who has been on both sides of the divide, business owner and worker and always politically attuned I am stunned daily on the man that wears the hat of President of the United States.
Im not a journalist nor attached to any publishing house, just an observer of our world, its leaders, its challengers, its impact on each and every being on this planet.
Democracy is sometimes tricked Ito believing what the people vote for and what is perceived good for the people and country, putting aside ideologies…. For a minute or so.
So let’s look at Donald Trump from the eyes off a person outside the Americans hype looking at both sides of the media including overseas publications.
Overall America needed redirection after the Obama years, not that he was a bad President but the system was open for corruption and had been since its constitutionalists wrote the thing.
Stating the obvious gave Trump a free ride into the White House. Not hard to work that one out.
But since his assent into office he has used that corruption and took away anyone who sees checks and balances as part of government.
Getting things done! Is the slogan, which really means bypassing or attempting same with the philosophy of the Ends justifies the Means.
Its confusing for us who believe a political system must have those boundaries of constraint that prevents a nation becoming a dictatorship.
We Australians have a system where if the people feel the leader or his party or colleagues see damage politically or nationally the leader gets the flick. Overuse however of that trigger by our politicians has made our electorate very distrustful and ambivalent of the system but it certainly gives the people and the media in play.
The yank system hands over power the day of inauguration and somehow the President becomes a god for life, like some Greek myth.
Their Congress and Government are on a scale that would qualify for a Aged People Home in Australia, similar to the House of Lords. All wealthy and heaverly obligated to some sponsor driven agenda. Not uncommon in other democracies but withdrawing from decisions or votes that impact on those sponsors is deemed ethical elsewhere is not required in America, and left to the investigation media who’s budgets just happen to be slashed by outlets that support feeds rely on feeding the chooks in news briefing brooms.
Of course it not corrupt , regardless of who’s in power. NOT
So much for the system as ill be dead before sorting that lot out but lets look at the individual now.
A business man… yep.. but not a self made businessman , daddy gave him a bonus and he rode out on the name of his family and continues.
The nepotism has never ever been more prevalent in any one before simply because he can’t trust anyone outside his bubble. Yes men and women soon get sick of saying yes, and his search continues but the standards are dropping after each change.
Where will it stop who knows. He doesn’t that’s certain.
As a person who has worked in the area of people with disabilities hands on, ones sees clear indications aspergillosis , dyslexia, and other symptoms all on show with Trump.
Instability and knee jerk responses, on twitter and in real time must be seen by professionals with far greater qualifications than me, and may one common within American elite, but here someone says it outright not withheld and dealt with in house but its dealt with .
They’er too scared I’m sure and if tests were required finding people who would put their name on a diagnosis in America would be open for hell the rest of their career.
The symptoms of withdrawal, self preservation, protectionism, keeping the status quo, keeping within known borders of race and ethnicity, plus all qualities once personal, now exhibited nationally on a greater scale followed by devout groups with same fears and beliefs, all symptoms.
No one outside America can help. We watch with amazement and take heed never to let it happen in our countries, that is the ones with people that are educated in democracy, true democracy and it will never be in a place where the entire population of my country cannot read or write, and never own a bank account.
Yep he knows what a wall does.. he’s been living behind one all his life sadly.

Shopping Centre Sharks Kill Off Mum and Dad Businesses.

Again it’s sad to see another Mum and Dad show hit the wall as part of a refurbishment.
Be aware these so called upgrades are geared to increase the return to the complex owners and are in no way customer focused.
From experience these big players or “Anchors” get free of massively discounted rents and outgoings concessions and they’re use their market power to crush any competition within the centre.
Im my case the day I opened the major chain set up a new fridge freezer out front selling the product we were to make our living from at a discount price.
My rents and outgoings went up , theirs were static so its not hard to see why family shows are closing. The kick backs from the major chains are similar to what was exposed in the royal commission into banking and the fact consumer affairs is not involved is the simple fact the smaller retailers do not have the financial capacity to fight the monopolies.
Don’t be confused major conglomerates own coffee, donut, food, and fashion franchisor businesses and that’s retail but when that power is used in a manner that stifle competition however small by stealth is a fact of life when your a independent or small franchisee not in the loop.
Stand alone businesses outside the sharks need the traffic to survive and that is only achieved with longevity and great service and product and a customer base that loyal and committed to not take the lazy option.
Sadly todays public do not know what they had as Andrew Korner wrote in his editorial.

Let’s Give Our Bremer a Chance.

Every day we are witnessing the expansion of our great city and surrounds with new estates, developments, that impacts on our existing infrastructure as councils and governments should ensure it stays in front before approvals are granted.
In my area a huge estate “Waterleigh” at Walloon is going gangbusters with development and massive earth works is ongoing and pondage or retention dams are in place to hold back and enhance its naming signature a “lake”.
All new developments speed up water flow as soakage is replaced with bitumen and ends up in the Bremer River and from my area the 7 mile down little has been done to clear or improve water quality or flow. In fact our river rates a D- when it comes to quality, so isn’t it time we addressed this as it should be an asset as in our history past.
We whinge daily driving or sitting in air conditioned germ capsules on rails getting to places where with a some effort and planning we could upgrade our natural corridor from City Central to the the airport and beyond.
Im sure dredging technology has progressed and if we can manage the quality of water and volume at the entry points it will address the flooding and accompanying damage plus encouraging tourist and business opportunities en route.
This river asset is awaiting vision from politicians and governments but we the residents have our play a role by realising that every time you spray or put a chemical into the chain it will end up in a river or lake that you and your family will have to live with while sipping coffee on some board walk.
Our rivers and creeks are our arteries and must be respected

Proactive View on Our Drug Problem

Who in their right mind would want to be an emergency worker in this day and age? That’s the question I ask especially this time of the year when we are all supposed to be at peace with each other and those around us, some go out of our way to do the exact opposite via road, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and basic ignorance and stupidity in our waterways and who picks up the pieces ? Our Emergency response teams.
For some reason it seems to peak this time of the year where we all just choose to overindulge in bad habits extenuated by drugs legal and illegal.
At the risk of bringing out the puritans wrath we need to accept our society has a drug problem and until we recognise that and put measures in place proactively we and our kids will be exposed to an escalating problem as the dealers in death of legal and illegal drugs get smarter.
Jail time is not a deterrent, naming and shaming sometimes is a badge of honour, so we have to look outside conventional methods to get people off their habits. Cutting supply is critical, education, but we have to look at controlled facilities where users can come without stigma to address their issues. Some will come, some won’t , some can’t.
Recognition you have a problem is critical to the road to recovery, and again I state this is all drugs legal and illegal, so until our society addresses its habit of condemnation and judgment of those who are hooked, or our emergency response teams will have to endure of ever growing body count as part of a normal days work.

Observations Of a Nobody

I am Who I Am. 

At 68 and a lung doctors assumption that I will clock off in 2020 I think I may start to accumulate some thoughts and observations I see now without malice or retributions. 

After being  in the front line for most of my life either at work or in sport its interesting for me  to look about and try objectively to see how succession works and how people accept that across my landscape. 

My history evolved from leaving school at 15, apprentice boilermaker, boilermaker, cab driver, telecom linesman, Telstra manager, business owner, now on a disability pension from asbestos. 

Outside interests are football, golf primarily but participated in many other associations including politics. Those interested still persist today but have stepped back and now take a broader view of how things have evolved over my time and how the younger people are managing the situations similar to what I/we  addressed in the past.

Please if I fall into the dialog of “the older I get the better I was” syndrome kick me in the balls if you can find them. 

Being trained in PR and human behaviours, industrial law, unions,  as part of a extensive and clinical journey I was privileged to do via Telstra helps me achieve a broad vision of how people , many friends and acquaintances, manage their lives after ceasing or winding down to retirement or what some see as a new start to new life, volunteer organisations, Non for profit organisations (NFP), charities, men sheds, you get my gist. 

Yes, I was caught up in that scene  for many years and I feel I did contribute some of my skills and time to help or assist  in those organisations mainly a golf club. I had the experience in retail hospitality, as part of my previous business, actually running a business skills, and I had free time to offer and labour to save costs. 

After taking up roles from committee to president gave me a fair idea of how the business works, and at times I was guilty of thinking I had all the answers when problems arose. I forgot I was not running my business but was running a organisation with varying experienced people in roles with good intentions but not used to making decisions that people who live out of the till to make a wage do. Hard decisions, practical decisions and at times unpopular decisions, which they took personally not in a business context. I was hard to keep the natives on track, a skill in fact keeping them in the loop, yet guiding them to what’s good for the members may not be good for the business.

This scenario is not uncommon in NFP organisations often frustrating and chases good experienced people away as they cdo not have the time or patience to educated, sometimes the willingly uneducateable. 

As I have said above people see volunteering as a chance to give back and give people the opportunity to work in community starting always in good spirits, but over time human behaviour takes varying paths, and often people revert back to their working days and consider other volunteers  as subordinate. 

Me, guilty as charged at times and when I realised the fact I was going down that road I set a personal benchmark time limit box of  3 years to be in any position of authority within a NFP.      

 My theory is one year to learn the role, one year to implement any improvements and one year to prepare a succession to the next occupant of the position. 

This prevents hierarchy development and siege mentality around election times, where factions  and  enemy of the club syndromes are created by those who struggle for relevance in their lives. 

Probably loss of relevance for some is undereestamated. Many in their previous working careers see themselves as having some social status above that of others due to their jobs or professions and expect that status to transfer to their volunteer positions. This attitude translates to some as social discriminators which divides organisations sometimes with  irreparable consequence. Exclusivities of company, and information sharing are weapons of survival used by the factional leaders to keep their status in tact, and often not seen by those who are being manipulated. 

This happens commonly in clubs and  practiced by both sexes but more efficiently by the female members commonly called Queen Cow Syndrome.  

I could continue with this factional issue but I believe my time would be spent better on solutions.

The Three Year Succession Plan distributes depth of  experience across the organisation which does not mean people have to stand down but have to surrender that particular position. Half Committee elections are also a tool that retains experience and corporate direction but introduces new talent to educate, and after two terms ie 6 years one  must step away entirely for a term before renominating. 

Cry’s of not filling positions will occur but that also will contribute to innovation in managing new business and managerial opportunities.

Unfortunately with often shrinking memberships due to attrition (people falling off their perch) the effort to go out and sell the c clubs to new prospective members is not given its true priority. Culture, that non inclusive culture is a cancer that must be irradiated. Youth must be encouraged and the practice of belting people with rule books must cease, regardless of code or sport. Fun is the primary and critical  objective not fucking rules and the people who think rules are the primary part are usually the toxic group trying to exert  their  personal status to any newcomers. Rules are learnt over time not thrust upon by autocratic dinosaurs. 

Levels of committee or what I prefer boards should be flattened. Experience people who have little time are more efficient than those who heap[s of time with lethargic attitudes. This causes untold  frustration to those who’s skills are current, not superseded. 

Amalgamations and partnerships must be considered as part of any business plan, IN GET A BUSINESS PLAN, a Professional Plan,  and stick to it, and make sure the membership know that plan which will explain someway of contentious decisions at times. 

Well that’s about my views and experiences and as a good citizen I have no interest in maintaining/ creating my status. In fact I’m a nobody other than an observer of situations and conversations and thats the way I want it, and I can let go and just be me and talk to, accompany anybody, I want without judging who or what history has allegedly occurred. 

As you can see with this article could make my own enemies and don’t need to told who to like or dislike as I don’t have to make those decisions, I just treat people as I find them. 

If the hat fits wear it, and I am who I am. 

 

     

           

 

Our Women Set the Standard

Tis the time of the year to review 2018 and in sport no one could deny womens sport and sportswomen have carried the banner for our youth to follow.

The male contribution across most codes has been less than admirable and although the press may choose to overlook the facts but our papers and reports are littered with cheating, domestic violence, drug abuse, corporate deception,  and general grubby behaviour from our so called professional athletes and clubs  and yet not one life ban imposed. 

The fact is, compared with professional players worldwide our lot has far too much time on their hands. Overpaid and overrated compared with players who compete overseas where 3 games in 11 days and sometimes less times is common. Imagine the cry’s of our prima donnas if their schedules similar, and just maybe they would not have the time to misbehave as they would be under constant scrutiny publicly and privately. 

Secondly of greater concern is the influence of betting organisations are having on our sporting culture. Codes are selling their souls to these parasites with scant regard to what message they are sending to our future  sportsmen and women inviting corruption into the sanctity of developing minds.

We have a lot of work to do to tidy up the shop in 2019 if we want to meet standards our women have set on the world stage don’t we? 

 

Less Overheads better for Ipswich Ratepayers.

As our Council administrators get on with their jobs and we see basically nothing has changed in regards to day to day life of ipswich ratepayers.

Council staff are getting on with what they do best, so the question at the end of the day is “are we over governed” when it comes down to this extra layer of divisional councillors and the costs involved.

Remember please Local Government is facility of State Governments, not a seperate level of government.

In a world where we everybody has to qualify with qualifications to make a living under and directly overseen by superiors daily, I think the days of people being given massive wages on a popularity vote is well out of step with current society standards.

We cannot revert to any part of previous administration practices or culture or nothing has been achieved out of this dissolution process as it will re infest.

Ipswich is blessed with people of exceptional talent as we have seen by the top 100 run by QT, all of which I’m sure many have the skill sets required from hands on experience to sit on a board or take responsibility for facets of our great city.

No they may not be good at giving ratepayers money away to boost their own popularity come election time, or grabbing microphones or headlines at look at me rags, as true managers of our great city need to be business and socially focused on the city as a whole, not just 10 little patches each with if we are to believe the spin each like Shiltz and no nothing about the rest.

Less overheads would be better for ratepayers and qualified not popularly Appointees would serve our new beginning better come 2020.

Time for our Youth To Shine.

Oh dear, the older we get the more wiser we are supposed to become.

We will always get those who think the old days were the best, the lifestyles were simple, so that’s good enough for us today, why change, and Now that group has become a political movement.

I’m a 50’s kid and we lived a dream compared to our parents, but ask our parents now if they lived a dream you will get a completely opposite response.

I’m yet to see those pushing the Trumpian ideology of protectionism, anti climate, anti migration, anti equal women’s opportunities, racial and religious divide, provide one forward thinking policy. They see our countries future is to go backwards to the way it was.

The hate youth involvement because it shakes the foundations of what is your place in society , your too young to understand, the cry, forgetting that youth today has 1000 times the access to information that was only available when a newspaper was finished being read or when the radio TV was turned on.

At 21 I could not have a beer in a pub but I could go to war at 19. Only the well off could go to university regardless if you had the talent, as long as you had the money, while the state school kids had to fight for a single grant, and the trades were regarded as the lower end of the class divide., and the shop assistants and labourers were servants.

They will have you believe they were the good times, and they were for the privalaged.

I see a case in today’s world for the voting age to be dropped to 16 as those young people today know and are aware and mature as much as some of the so called adult punters that go to the polls and vote informal deliberately, or turn up just to avoid fines.

We’ve run our race, started wars, split nations, invented weapons, diseases to destroy the the planet, yet say to our youth your too young.

What utter rot.

The LNP’s Trump Faction hard at work.

I would be the last person to tell the LNP how to do their business, however putting that aside I do take issue with the media description of them having a “female” problem within their ranks.

The truth is they have a “male” problem and if you look at their team sheet the line up speaks fo itself. People like Abbott, Abetts, Dutton, O’Sullivan, supported by the Kroger’s support fed by Jones and Hadley and Sky after Dark no wonder the boys club mentality sets a very slanted platform for any person who wishes to contribute let alone a female.

Personally,politically, I hope they don’t change, dig coal, close the borders, deny climate change. Reject renewables, and bully women out of the way, but that’s not good for our nation, any nation, and Victorians agreed, Saturday.

We need to install a government/governments that will look to our future, provide adequate and timely infrastructure and jobs with plans for our kids and elderly that will accommodate our growing population, and stop the scaremongering and fabricating excuses for ideology incompetence, and the real question is the LNP prepared to pay price of keeping the Trump faction worth loosing women’s participation at the ballot box..

The baseball caps have it Scomo.

Our Lingo is Precious.

Since the last round of musical Prime Ministers I have noticed a number of suttle image and cultural changes that trouble me.

Firstly it’s the new baseball capped advertising billboard PM mirroring Trump, then comes the lingo where our Returned Service Men and Women referred to as Veterans, our Emergency Workforce of Police and Ambulance, Fire Fighters and support are blanketed with the term of First Responders, all lazy American terms or lazy English..

Lets not hand over our culture and language and reject Americanisation or we will be left with that word “bunch” as a description for anything plural instead of a bouquet of flowers.

It starts with the little things that are important if we are to remain who we are.

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