MALL SEIGE NAIROBI KENYA

Thankfully the siege that has been going on for days at the Westgate Mall in Nairobi has now come to an end.
This senseless waste of life and its associated trauma. grief and sadness all done in the name of religion. Religious extremism and ultra nationalism are the two greatest evils that exist in our world today. To the greater majority of people of every religion what has happened in Kenya is abhorrent. Yet a small percentage of people, mostly of the Muslim religion, believe that such acts are not only acceptable but to be praised and that those committing these sort of acts will be rewarded in the after life.
It is time for Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and members or believers in all the worlds religions to stand up and say, 'Enough is Enough.' We the peoples of the world just want to live in peace and security and in an atmosphere where are children will grow up without hatred and fear.

SYRIA CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND US INTERVENTION>

The use of chemical weapons against anyone is to be absolutely condemned. The outrage about their use in Syria appears to be because of the indiscriminate killing of civilians and especially children. However the use of tanks, artillery, helicopter gunships and air force bombers has killed many thousands more civilians than have been killed by chemical weapons. Why the selective outrage and calls for reprisals.
Any involvement, directly or indirectly, by any western powers will only bring wider grief and expansion of the conflict and incite a Muslim backlash.
It is up to the United Nations to act.

THE ABBOTT GOVERNMENT CABINET

I do not understand the sudden out burst of criticism of the Coalition Cabinet as announced yesterday by Tony Abbott.
For at least the last 3 years Abbott has been saying that he will carry forward the members of his opposition shadow ministry into government if he wins the election. One female member of that group will probably fail to be re-elected. So Abbott has done exactly what he said he would. So why now the outcry about it.
The Labor Party has crowed that they have had more female members of parliament than the coalition. This is a direct result of candidates being parachuted into seats by the federal branch regardless of the local branch's opinion and regardless of experience or qualifications.
The over-riding reason to choose members of the cabinet must and should be by experience and suitability not just on gender.
Please remember that the people from the Labor Party that are now offering this criticism are the ones who shafted a sitting FEMALE Prime Minister.

COCKATOOS

These are Gang Gang Cockatoos. They are from the eastern parts of Australia. Here they are at our bird feeder in our yard in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney.
The ones with the red heads and ruffle are the males.
Their call sounds like a creaky door opening.
they are very sociable birds and usually unafraid of humans.

BUSH FIRES IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

It has already been very hot and it is only early Spring. We also have had very little rain. the conditions are just right for a bad fire season.
Please clear leaves out of your gutters. Put firewood away from your house. Clear, as much as possible, any leaf, twig and dead wood litter from nearby bush. Check your hoses, sprinklers etc.
Above all DO NOT LIGHT OUTDOOR WOOD bbqs or any open fires.
Report all suspicious activity IMMEDIATELY.

THE CARBON TAX

The abolition of the carbon tax was one of the main policies of the Australian Liberal National Coalition leading up to the election. The people of Australia voted overwhelmingly in favour of this and the other policies of the coalition.
The Labor party who opposed the abolition of the tax received their lowest primary vote ever.
Last night an ex minister in the Labor party was asked if they would acknowledge the mandate given to the coalition and not block the abolition of this tax in the Senate.
She replied that just over 30% of the population had voted for its retention therefore the Labor Party would not support a vote in the Senate for its abolition.
To me this is hypocritical sour grapes. Nearly 70% of the people of Australia do not want your tax. You are going against the express will of the people.
To the Labor Party. You lost. The people voted against you. Accept it change and move on.

TONY ABBOTT. AUSTRALIA'S NEW PRIME MINISTER

The people of Australia have decided in a fairly emphatic way. the Labor Government has ben swept from power and the Liberal, National Coalition is the new Government.
Tony Abbott is our new Prime Minister.
The time for division is now over. It is time to unite behind our new government that has been put into power by the vast majority of Australians.