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Society

Jamie Oliver’s Political Revolution?

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For the last few weeks our family has been engrossed by Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, in which the ever-energetic British chef takes on the might of the entrenched American diet in the small city of Huntington, West Virginia. Its ‘David and Goliath’ meets Super Size Me as Jamie seeks to reprogram what would seem to [...]

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Invisible victims of an invisible disaster

What must it feel like to be the invisible victim of an invisible disaster? Natural disasters are a part of life. At least they become so for the many people around the world who find themselves affected by one. Whether storm or fire, flood or earthquake, there can be nothing worse than find your life [...]

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Black Saturday is not over yet

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Last week I had the opportunity to visit some of the people who had been affected by Victoria’s 2009 Black Saturday bushfires. As always, these sorts of visits leave me in a reflective mood. This time I was particularly struck by the disparity between the perspectives of those directly affected by a disaster and those [...]

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In support of Christine Nixon

The Victorian community and media can be wonderful, but they do sometimes disappoint. Seldom is that more the case than right now with the vicious and ongoing attack on the credibility of former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, Christine Nixon. I have felt very uncomfortable about this from the start, though my discomfort peaked this [...]

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How Australian Idol is killing climate change action

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It has suddenly dawned on me why climate change denial is so numerous and so strident. The fault lies with none other than Australian Idol. Well perhaps not just Australian Idol. Dancing with the Stars, It Takes Two and all their so-called ‘reality’ brethren are equally to blame. There was a time, ‘back in the [...]

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The debate we have to have … more of

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Last night I had the opportunity to witness a real debate. The occasion was an IQ2 debate at Melbourne Town Hall. Six experts – three on each side – took turns to argue for and against the proposition that Australia should embrace nuclear power. The highlight of the evening was that, according to before and [...]

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It’s True: The World is Simpler than We Think

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Always nagging in the back of my mind is the notion that the world is a lot more simple than we tend to make it. (It is because of this that, over the years, I’ve been an advocate for simplicity.) To see how complicated we imagine life to be, take a look at the Self-Help and [...]

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Google Earth or Real Earth? I’m Getting Confused

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One of my very favourite cartoons is Michael Leunig’s ‘TV sunrise’. The picture of a father and son watching the sunset on television while the real thing happens just outside the window seems to capture the essence of modern life. The only problem with the cartoon is that it is a bit dated. I mean, [...]

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Chill Out, Slow Down and Live Longer: a Hope for the New Decade

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While waiting to cross a road yesterday, I watched a cyclist do a perfectly legal and correct right-hand turn. The bike stayed to the outside of the lane but even there he caused the car behind him to pause for a moment before it could turn. The car then took its turn, the driver planting [...]

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Why Technology will Never Replace the Knowledge of Elders

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It was a crafty weekend at our house. I was house-painting – a job that is going to keep me going for many months. Our youngest daughter was making soap for Christmas presents. And my wife and eldest daughter were working together as said daughter had her first introduction to serious needlework. It got me [...]

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Climate Change Straight Talk from Unlikely Sources

15000 delegates are currently sitting in Copenhagen and thrashing out some sort of agreement on how humanity might be saved from the effects of climate change. That’s a mighty big committee. Let’s hope all the hot air that will be exhaled over the next fortnight is being captured and put to good use. I must [...]

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