This graph says it all. Out of 65,614 properties surveyed, the figures on the right show the number and percentage of affordable rental properties in each situation. This is a national crisis.
Thursday, 30 April 2015
Rental affordability snapshot - Anglicare
This graph says it all. Out of 65,614 properties surveyed, the figures on the right show the number and percentage of affordable rental properties in each situation. This is a national crisis.
Include the family home in pension assets test - economists
Well finally economists are coming out with something worthwhile to rave about. And it's about bloody time.
Why should a pensioner with nothing, having to pay private rent, get the same amount of the pension as someone who owns their own home and hasn't even got a mortgage anymore?
I don't want to hear this bullshit "Oh I'm being punished for working hard all my life and being responsible" bla. Well so did fuckin I. The opportunity to buy my own home escaped me at about the same time Sydney housing prices started their negative gearing bubble of 30 years or so. Now one bedroom units in eastern Sydney are going for a half million $. This is a failure of gov, not me. I worked my fuckin ass off for 30 years, paying tax and rent through the nose whilst bringing up my daughter and supporting my ill wife.
Yet now, through the luck of the draw, someone in their own home with no rent or mortgage to pay, can keep their home separate from the assets test and get the same pension money as me. How is this fair? No wonder some of these pensioners can afford to give to charity. I'd consider myself a bloody charity.
Why should a pensioner with nothing, having to pay private rent, get the same amount of the pension as someone who owns their own home and hasn't even got a mortgage anymore?
I don't want to hear this bullshit "Oh I'm being punished for working hard all my life and being responsible" bla. Well so did fuckin I. The opportunity to buy my own home escaped me at about the same time Sydney housing prices started their negative gearing bubble of 30 years or so. Now one bedroom units in eastern Sydney are going for a half million $. This is a failure of gov, not me. I worked my fuckin ass off for 30 years, paying tax and rent through the nose whilst bringing up my daughter and supporting my ill wife.
Yet now, through the luck of the draw, someone in their own home with no rent or mortgage to pay, can keep their home separate from the assets test and get the same pension money as me. How is this fair? No wonder some of these pensioners can afford to give to charity. I'd consider myself a bloody charity.
CIS modelling shows that reforming the pension could deliver income gains of more than $5,900 a year to almost 98% of pensioners. These reforms would also reduce the cost of the pension by $14.5 billion a year.
"With four out of every five retirees on the pension, and pensioners with over a million dollars in assets getting the same payment as those with almost nothing, the pension clearly needs reform," says Simon Cowan, research fellow and co-author of the report,The Age Old Problem of Old Age: Fixing the Pension.
"The way to boost pensioner living standards lies in unlocking the savings in the family home -- not in continually increasing pension spending.
"As the population ages the pressure on the pension will only get worse," Cowan says. "The answer is for government to count the family home in the assets test, boost take-up rates for reverse mortgages and including that income in the pension income test.
"Australians are continually told they don't save enough for retirement, but there is $625 billion in pensioner housing assets that could be raising pensioner living standards. The potential benefits are enormous," Cowan says.
Co-author, research fellow Matt Taylor agrees "Reverse mortgages let pensioners access the equity in their home, boosting their standard of living, but still allowing them to own their home and to stay there. By creating a government backed reverse mortgage annuity, lenders can offer lower rates and make higher payments to pensioners - who can borrow knowing that they can't lose their home."
"By including reverse mortgage payments in the pension income test, pensioners with lower mortgage payments will automatically get a higher pension. This allows the government to focus on the truly needy.
"As wealthier pensioners access the equity in their home to boost living standards, government can afford to increase support for non-homeowners. Our reforms include an increase in the full rate of the pension for both couples and singles, as well as substantial increases in rent assistance," Taylor says. more
No gay marriage because Baltimore riots
It sort of goes family breakdown = social unrest. Of course the initial assumption is that two gay parents don't make a family.
I wonder if these crackpots are ever going to run out of crackpot arguments?
I wonder if these crackpots are ever going to run out of crackpot arguments?
I'm 53 today *faints*
Yes folks I've survived another year. The old war wounds provide a few aches and pains now and then, but never the less am still going.
Was surprised when I was diagnosed with HIV as I thought well that's it, I'll be dead in a few years. But then the doctor said you just take the pills and it "stops the virus". I had no idea, saying "really?" It's surprising to this day the amount of ignorance there remains about HIV even in the gay community. This is my seventh year now with HIV.
Of course it hasn't been a walk in the park, and anyone who says it is would be lying. There's things like a hyperactive immune system that saw me have acute kidney failure from an allergic reaction. Even with perfect health there's mental health issues involved in having HIV. In a sense it's a double whammy of discrimination on occasion, being both gay and HIV+. Not so much in my case, but HIV can almost be a second coming out to people around you.
It's not easy at times dealing with the stigma and stereotyping that can be a part of being positive. I don't know how many times I've sat on a bus next to a complete stranger and wondered what that stranger's reaction would be if I told them my status. Would they be sympathetic? Or would they move away in disgust?
That's much of what this blog is all about. Addressing these issues, saying that gays and HIV aren't monsters. We're just people like everyone else. That one day we'll live in a world with the same opportunities and status as everyone else. Where being positive is no different than having diabetes. That being gay is no different than your hair colour.
When you're diagnosed with HIV one of the things you have to confront is your own mortality. I don't want to get to the end of my life, and as those immortal words of Pink Floyd go, "Thought I'd something more to say".
Was surprised when I was diagnosed with HIV as I thought well that's it, I'll be dead in a few years. But then the doctor said you just take the pills and it "stops the virus". I had no idea, saying "really?" It's surprising to this day the amount of ignorance there remains about HIV even in the gay community. This is my seventh year now with HIV.
Of course it hasn't been a walk in the park, and anyone who says it is would be lying. There's things like a hyperactive immune system that saw me have acute kidney failure from an allergic reaction. Even with perfect health there's mental health issues involved in having HIV. In a sense it's a double whammy of discrimination on occasion, being both gay and HIV+. Not so much in my case, but HIV can almost be a second coming out to people around you.
It's not easy at times dealing with the stigma and stereotyping that can be a part of being positive. I don't know how many times I've sat on a bus next to a complete stranger and wondered what that stranger's reaction would be if I told them my status. Would they be sympathetic? Or would they move away in disgust?
That's much of what this blog is all about. Addressing these issues, saying that gays and HIV aren't monsters. We're just people like everyone else. That one day we'll live in a world with the same opportunities and status as everyone else. Where being positive is no different than having diabetes. That being gay is no different than your hair colour.
When you're diagnosed with HIV one of the things you have to confront is your own mortality. I don't want to get to the end of my life, and as those immortal words of Pink Floyd go, "Thought I'd something more to say".
Today in Irish gay hate - Panti Bliss reports
Wednesday, 29 April 2015
Dr Oz is a maniacle con, as well as the "cancer" lady - Angry Aussie
Reminds me of the spammers on this blog here lately. Go get a spell off someone and your HIV is cured! Riiiiiiiigggggghhhhhhttttttttt.................
Also reminds me of a joke I heard years back.
So there's a terrible traffic accident, people dieing and bleeding all over the place. Somebody breaks through the crowd of horrified onlookers. Shouts "Stand back! I'm an aromatherapist!"
Actually, the aromatherapy would probably have a greater effect than some African witch doctor fuckwit casting a spell.
Also reminds me of a joke I heard years back.
So there's a terrible traffic accident, people dieing and bleeding all over the place. Somebody breaks through the crowd of horrified onlookers. Shouts "Stand back! I'm an aromatherapist!"
Actually, the aromatherapy would probably have a greater effect than some African witch doctor fuckwit casting a spell.
Collection of christian TV ant-Supreme court rants - gay marriage US
Your days are numbered fuckwits.....
34th woman dies from domestic violence this year - Australia
This latest one happened in Quakers Hill, Sydney. The 51 year old woman died overnight from injuries sustained Monday.
A woman who was allegedly bashed by her de facto partner in Sydney's north-west has died in hospital, two days after sustaining horrific injuries.I know all too well about being attacked in your own home domestically, after what happened to David on new years at the hands of psycho Phillip; my nephew, who beat him. And stomped on him whilst he lay bleeding and unconscious on the ground.
Linda Locke, 51, was clinging to life in Westmead Hospital after being found in her Quakers Hill home on Monday morning with head injuries, serious bruising to her face and a collapsed lung.
On Wednesday morning, police said she died overnight.
She has become the 34th woman to be killed by violence in Australia this year, according to Counting Dead Women, a project run by Destroy the Joint. more
Indeed, Phillip told the cops he thought he'd killed him.
Anti-gay lawmaker outed via his Grindr profile - US
Yes folks, these are the god fearing christian lawmakers that god fearing christians are voting in to keep the US safe from god's wrath at gays. A total closeted hypocrite. How very christian.
The exchange came to light when Dustin Smith, a 21-year-old Bismarck man with no known connections to the Capitol, contacted The Forum earlier this month, saying he recognized Boehning from a gay dating smartphone app called Grindr.It's a known fact BTW that closeted gays are way over represented in christian circles, especially the fundamentalist ones. They think god is going to give them the power to overcome their gayness. Like I've said about the haters, they're all a bunch of closeted poofs :)
Chatting under the user name Top Man!, Boehning sent Smith sexually suggestive messages and, in the early morning hours of March 12, an unsolicited photo of his penis, according to exchanges reviewed by The Forum.
"How can you discriminate against the person you're trying to pick up?" Smith said in a recent interview.
When first questioned about the messages two weeks ago, Boehning declined to comment on whether he sent the explicit photo and messages.
But on Saturday he confirmed he was Top Man! and said he doesn't think sending a graphic photo of himself to a stranger is a lapse in judgment, as Grindr is an adult site where users often exchange such images.
"That's what gay guys do on gay sites, don't they?" Boehning said. "That's how things happen on Grindr. It's a gay chat site. It's not the first thing you do on that site. That's what we do, exchange pics on the site."
Boehning, who is not married, said there are people who know he is gay, but many of his family members and friends do not. more
Anticipation builds outside US Supreme court
As arguments are heard for and against inside, outside the US Supreme court all manner of bible bashers and LGBT await.....
Christians draw line in sand - will refuse to obey US law over gay marriage
More love from the christians. Basically saying they're going to oppose gays even if the law tells them not to. What a fuckin bunch of closeted homophobes, dead set.
Whatever happened to "obeying the law of the land" then? Oh that's right, time to cherry pick the bible again.
Whatever happened to "obeying the law of the land" then? Oh that's right, time to cherry pick the bible again.
Two of the Bali nine executed - what Howard said after their arrest
Firstly, thoughts and sympathies to the families and friends of the two ringleaders executed last night in Bali for heroin trafficking. As far as it goes though, that's about as far as my personal sympathies extend.
Secondly, now that the media circus is coming to an end, with all the pleads and demands for the Abbott gov to FFS do something to save the traffickers lives, I'd say take a look back at the Howard years after the 9 were arrested and the comments he made about Australians going to Bali to import heroin into Australia.
So what if this heroin had of gotten into Australia? How many Australians might it have killed? It's not the first time either Australians have been killed in Bali. Why all the hoopla this time?
Secondly, now that the media circus is coming to an end, with all the pleads and demands for the Abbott gov to FFS do something to save the traffickers lives, I'd say take a look back at the Howard years after the 9 were arrested and the comments he made about Australians going to Bali to import heroin into Australia.
JOHN Howard last night delivered a blunt warning to Australians who get caught with drugs in Asian countries — don't expect the Government to bail you out. .............................Bali has the death penalty for drug trafficking; no if's, buts, maybe's. You will be be facing the firing squad if you're caught. Let's not forget what the Bali 9 were caught with:
..."it's beyond belief that any Australian could be so stupid as to carry drugs into any country in Asia" He said the laws in these countries were — "ferociously precise".
"That's been the case for decades. We have told Australians, young Australians, again and again, don't take drugs out of this country, don't take them into Asian countries because you can't expect any mercy."
The Government would keep pushing the message. "But people have to understand that if they defy that, and they get caught with drugs, they can't expect the Government to bail them out.
"If foreigners come to this country and break our laws, our people don't think we should hand them back to the countries from whence they came. They think they should be punished in this country and jailed in this country, and Australians have got to understand that." more
So what if this heroin had of gotten into Australia? How many Australians might it have killed? It's not the first time either Australians have been killed in Bali. Why all the hoopla this time?
Tuesday, 28 April 2015
BHP tax rate just .002%
Bloody lovely isn't it. This is from the senate inquiry into corporate tax avoidance in Australia.
BHP Billiton has revealed the true extent of its sweetheart deal with tax authorities in Singapore.
The miner is paying an incredibly low effective tax rate of just 0.002 per cent - or effectively nothing - on the billions of dollars in sales that it directs through its "marketing hub" in the low-tax nation.
Between 2006 and 2014 the company booked profits of $US5.7 billion in Singapore, it said in a statement to the Senate inquiry into corporate tax avoidance.
It paid just $US121,000 in tax in Singapore – or $US15,000 a year - it said in its answers to questions on notice to the committee. more
NOM's hate march christians in US - more wack jobs :)
"Why should we be mocked and ridiculed".... Priceless.
Don't you just love karma?
Don't you just love karma?
National assoc. of marriage march US - comments by marchers
The fed's are soon to announce a major decision of gay marriage in the US. The National Association of Marriage (NOM) organised a hate march against marriage equality. Here are some of the wack jobs in that march. I like how the video is in 1950's black and white :)
I feel terrible
Been in bed all day. Really off colour.
Thankfully the $bloke rang and was sick too so will arrange another date to see him. Doubt if I could've got there today even though it's just down the road.
Think I'm going to have to go back to bed for a bit. Taken all my morning pills, struggled up at about 11am to do so.
Thankfully the $bloke rang and was sick too so will arrange another date to see him. Doubt if I could've got there today even though it's just down the road.
Think I'm going to have to go back to bed for a bit. Taken all my morning pills, struggled up at about 11am to do so.
Monday, 27 April 2015
Leader should have faith to be trusted - christian priest
This is just typical of the US-centric nature of Fox news. This priest goes on Fox as a religious commentator (I assume when he's not passing around the collection plate raising funds for the churches next child rape case) and, almost stumbling through his words, announces that for a leader to be trusted they need to have "faith".
That's arguable in itself. I mean, what about faith in the Flying Spaghetti Monster for example? Or some kind of satanic faith? Or any faith really, but that's beside the point. He's talking about atheists and how they can't be trusted as they don't have faith.
Well mate, take a look outside the insulated world of Fox news. I have only one thing to say to blow the entire argument out of the water. Tony fuckin Abbott. He has faith doesn't he. A good Catholic. How many Australians trust him then? He's a lying slithering two faced prick who you wouldn't trust with the bloody milk money.
That's arguable in itself. I mean, what about faith in the Flying Spaghetti Monster for example? Or some kind of satanic faith? Or any faith really, but that's beside the point. He's talking about atheists and how they can't be trusted as they don't have faith.
Well mate, take a look outside the insulated world of Fox news. I have only one thing to say to blow the entire argument out of the water. Tony fuckin Abbott. He has faith doesn't he. A good Catholic. How many Australians trust him then? He's a lying slithering two faced prick who you wouldn't trust with the bloody milk money.
Latest psychologist visit
Saw him earlier today and discussed the anxiety I've been feeling lately, along with the not sleeping well because of the nightmares. Disturbed sleep is a good indicator of something amiss.
As far as things go with the credit card debt (am seeing the $ bloke tomorrow) it's pretty much what I've been thinking. The circumstances that lead to the debt were beyond our control and couldn't be helped. Like I've said, David was just too long without money and too long on Newstart. Newstart itself is impossible to live off, and that was all we had between us for a few months after my pension paid the rent. Two people supposed to survive on one Newstart of $490 a fortnight (includes rent assistance I think?) of course left us with no choice but to use the credit card to eat.
Finally now we're in a position where we're actually getting a survivable amount. David was eligible for it but reluctant to take it as he was more thinking about getting back to work, but in effect the Newstart was so low it forced David into going on the Carers Payment, along with the Carers Allowance. Still tight with half the money going in rent, but survivable. That's the good news. The bad news is that the credit card is a train wreck and impossible to service now. Of course I'm going to be nervous and anxious about it all, but it's not our fault.
The court case coming up, the psychologist was surprised to hear about the law changes and new mandatory minimum sentences. I can't for the life of me see any way the court would find psycho Phillip anything but guilty. He even admitted his guilt to the cops after being arrested the dumb fuck ("I thought I'd killed him", "I couldn't stop hitting him", "Can I have an HIV test now?"). If that's not a man that needs to be locked up for society's safety I just don't know what is.
Still, it's not going to be easy having to go to a hearing and relive all the shit again. It's still crystal clear in my head what happened in those few seconds. After giving my statement to the police some time later I had a very vivid dream that night that David had died. I wonder if psycho Phillip will ever truly realise the consequence of what he did in those 15 seconds.
It's a terrible situation yes, but something has to be done with this nut. Society needs to intervene in his life. Otherwise who's he going to do it to next? And next time he may well kill someone.
As far as things go with the credit card debt (am seeing the $ bloke tomorrow) it's pretty much what I've been thinking. The circumstances that lead to the debt were beyond our control and couldn't be helped. Like I've said, David was just too long without money and too long on Newstart. Newstart itself is impossible to live off, and that was all we had between us for a few months after my pension paid the rent. Two people supposed to survive on one Newstart of $490 a fortnight (includes rent assistance I think?) of course left us with no choice but to use the credit card to eat.
Finally now we're in a position where we're actually getting a survivable amount. David was eligible for it but reluctant to take it as he was more thinking about getting back to work, but in effect the Newstart was so low it forced David into going on the Carers Payment, along with the Carers Allowance. Still tight with half the money going in rent, but survivable. That's the good news. The bad news is that the credit card is a train wreck and impossible to service now. Of course I'm going to be nervous and anxious about it all, but it's not our fault.
The court case coming up, the psychologist was surprised to hear about the law changes and new mandatory minimum sentences. I can't for the life of me see any way the court would find psycho Phillip anything but guilty. He even admitted his guilt to the cops after being arrested the dumb fuck ("I thought I'd killed him", "I couldn't stop hitting him", "Can I have an HIV test now?"). If that's not a man that needs to be locked up for society's safety I just don't know what is.
Still, it's not going to be easy having to go to a hearing and relive all the shit again. It's still crystal clear in my head what happened in those few seconds. After giving my statement to the police some time later I had a very vivid dream that night that David had died. I wonder if psycho Phillip will ever truly realise the consequence of what he did in those 15 seconds.
It's a terrible situation yes, but something has to be done with this nut. Society needs to intervene in his life. Otherwise who's he going to do it to next? And next time he may well kill someone.
Natasha and Zac falling for each other :)
After a bit of biffo the other day they've all made up. Natasha remains regal queen and Zac the new boy in the house. After the hailstorm recently it's been very cold in the night and they've been making up in front of the heater.
Sunday, 26 April 2015
"Americans' Narrow View of the World" - Tariq Ali
Word.
I'd have to say that someone like Abbott may well be a very popular US president. I mean look at George Bush FFS. The world copped his father and then him. Sixteen years of bullshit. And look at the dumbass people the Republicans are putting up for president now; a bunch of religious looney tunes pandering to the religious looney tunes. All saying it's the gays fault that the US is in decline. People actually believe that shit over there. They believe the US is blessed by god above all other countries because god's word bla.
In Australia with the advent of the internet we sit here in Australia in total disbelief at the maniacal Orwellian machine that convinces people over there. The lies, the outright bullshit being fed to the population.....
Abbott's trying the same thing here, but he's become a laughing stock over it. It's to the credit of the Australian democracy that we as a people can see through the lies, the doublespeak, the sheer stupidity of being in the hands of corporations. This is what I was referring to in another post today, that it just amazes me that Abbott will come out with the crap he does thinking that we're all so dumb that we'll believe it. Hey Tone, this is not America.
I'd have to say that someone like Abbott may well be a very popular US president. I mean look at George Bush FFS. The world copped his father and then him. Sixteen years of bullshit. And look at the dumbass people the Republicans are putting up for president now; a bunch of religious looney tunes pandering to the religious looney tunes. All saying it's the gays fault that the US is in decline. People actually believe that shit over there. They believe the US is blessed by god above all other countries because god's word bla.
In Australia with the advent of the internet we sit here in Australia in total disbelief at the maniacal Orwellian machine that convinces people over there. The lies, the outright bullshit being fed to the population.....
Abbott's trying the same thing here, but he's become a laughing stock over it. It's to the credit of the Australian democracy that we as a people can see through the lies, the doublespeak, the sheer stupidity of being in the hands of corporations. This is what I was referring to in another post today, that it just amazes me that Abbott will come out with the crap he does thinking that we're all so dumb that we'll believe it. Hey Tone, this is not America.
Talking Pictures - cartoons of the week :)
Well you've got to laugh don't you. I really like it how the cartoonists have absolutely no respect for Abbott and his band of Keystone Cops.
The Armenian genocide - dedicated to SSJoe
Or perhaps I should use the name Jellyfish Joe as he's so fondly known of as well (bit like his stomach you know, metaphorically). Recently he backed right down on calling this genocide over some flap with the Anzac Cove thing.
Here you go Jellyfish Joe, this one I'm dedicating to you.
Lest we forget.....
Here you go Jellyfish Joe, this one I'm dedicating to you.
Lest we forget.....
Who is Bjorn Lomborg? - GetUp video
Watch this and see just how ridiculous Abbott is to give this climate change denialist $4million. Honestly, it never ceases to amaze me how this gov thinks of us all as blind sheeple who'll believe any sort of doublespeak they invent.
Nightmares all night
Had a pretty bad night last night. Slept very badly, one nightmare after another. Woke up this morning full of anxiety. Hardly a restful sleep.
Probably upcoming things are playing on my mind. This week I've got to go see the financial counselor about the disaster that is the credit card. Also the court hearing for psycho Phillip nephew is in June so not far off.
It's fuckin horrible having to go to court and have to relive what happened. All because the fuckwit is trying to limit the damage the magistrate is going to dish out to him. He must be shitting himself up there in Brisbane. Done a good job on himself didn't he. Clobbered David in NSW soon after the state gov bought in mandatory sentencing for assault involving alcohol and/or drugs. He's facing at least 2 years mandatory jail time for it. I may go into the courtroom after all just to see the look on the magistrates face when he sees he stomped on David's head.
I didn't know about mandatory sentencing until yesterday. Is only fairly recently bought in. Now we see why the fuckwit is going to a hearing, he really has no choice. I've a feeling it's going to backfire on him though. He'll end up worse.
Seeing the psychologist tomorrow.
Probably upcoming things are playing on my mind. This week I've got to go see the financial counselor about the disaster that is the credit card. Also the court hearing for psycho Phillip nephew is in June so not far off.
It's fuckin horrible having to go to court and have to relive what happened. All because the fuckwit is trying to limit the damage the magistrate is going to dish out to him. He must be shitting himself up there in Brisbane. Done a good job on himself didn't he. Clobbered David in NSW soon after the state gov bought in mandatory sentencing for assault involving alcohol and/or drugs. He's facing at least 2 years mandatory jail time for it. I may go into the courtroom after all just to see the look on the magistrates face when he sees he stomped on David's head.
I didn't know about mandatory sentencing until yesterday. Is only fairly recently bought in. Now we see why the fuckwit is going to a hearing, he really has no choice. I've a feeling it's going to backfire on him though. He'll end up worse.
Seeing the psychologist tomorrow.
Saturday, 25 April 2015
Eastern Sydney snowman/hailman!
Here we have the first ever snowman I've seen in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. Somebody made it just up the road from here :) And it's not even winter yet.
We just had hail in Sydney's eastern suburbs - video & pics
It was all very exciting! The hailstone were pretty large, and eventually covered the ground like snow. I took a little video with the camera out in the back yard common area. Pics of there and the road out the front :)
Psycho nephew and NSW mandatory sentencing
It looks like my psycho nephew Philip who bashed David on new years, finishing it off with a head stomping, is going to be facing some serious jail time. I so hope so.
What is giving me hope is a bit of research today on the New South Wales mandatory sentencing laws after the spate of one punch deaths in recent years in NSW. The laws have been changed, including for assault causing bodily harm in company. Phillip did it right next to his father Kevin (my brother) who did nothing to stop him. I'm therefore assuming it would be assault "in company".
These are the new laws toughened lately. To me it appears psycho Phillip is looking at a mandatory sentence under NSW law of 3 years. The hearing is in June.
What is giving me hope is a bit of research today on the New South Wales mandatory sentencing laws after the spate of one punch deaths in recent years in NSW. The laws have been changed, including for assault causing bodily harm in company. Phillip did it right next to his father Kevin (my brother) who did nothing to stop him. I'm therefore assuming it would be assault "in company".
These are the new laws toughened lately. To me it appears psycho Phillip is looking at a mandatory sentence under NSW law of 3 years. The hearing is in June.
Crazy Tennessee Baptists - something about jesus, bla.....?
WTF?
These are the folk who don't want gay marriage? We're supposed to listen to their drivel like it's right?
These are the folk who don't want gay marriage? We're supposed to listen to their drivel like it's right?
Sports drinks are a waste of money - The Checkout
Gatorade and Powerade aren't going to be happy about this one. It's all pretty much the same as sugary flavoured water and doesn't rehydrate you and faster than water. Check it out.
Think I'll just stick to my pensioner re-hydration technique; cold water in the fridge from the tap :)
Think I'll just stick to my pensioner re-hydration technique; cold water in the fridge from the tap :)
Ready to die over gay marriage - christians
What a drongo. Dead set. Why do these christians feel so convinced that they must rule the secular society that gives them the freedom to practice their idiocy?
Same old thing, how many times does he say "I believe". That apparently passes for scientific factual proof in his head.
How the fuck would you die over gay marriage anyway? Get dazzled to death by colours and glitter? Good grief.
Same old thing, how many times does he say "I believe". That apparently passes for scientific factual proof in his head.
How the fuck would you die over gay marriage anyway? Get dazzled to death by colours and glitter? Good grief.
Friday, 24 April 2015
Australian christian lobby obsessed with gays
A Buzzfeed report interviews the head of the Australian Christian Lobby, who has been so instrumental in the cruel stopping of gay marriage here. I just had a quick skim through it; the usual stuff. Denial of the message of hate and bigotry he preaches. They really love gays you know. bla..... The sort of thing that's painful to read just from the shear boredom of hearing the same old stupid christian arguments against gay love. Like this one for example:
Yeah whatever. *yawn* Can't they get an argument that doesn't say that because they believe something then it must be right? That's his big argument about how David and I feel for each other? He believes we don't really? How about this little bit of artwork of mine then Lyle? Give us all a break and come up with some bloody facts and not fuckin Bible bashing beliefs FFS.
But I digress.
What I found most interesting in the article however was a little graphic showing the subjects of their news releases and how many were about different subjects, thus:
Good grief. WTF is their bloody problem? Is what we do in the privacy of our own bedroom really that much more important than big issues like the poor, disadvantaged and homeless? Or women's rights? Or problem gambling?
Apparently so. Yep, forget about all the poverty, women bashing, families going under becuase of gambling. It's the gays! Gotta stop the gays!
Yeah whatever. *yawn* Can't they get an argument that doesn't say that because they believe something then it must be right? That's his big argument about how David and I feel for each other? He believes we don't really? How about this little bit of artwork of mine then Lyle? Give us all a break and come up with some bloody facts and not fuckin Bible bashing beliefs FFS.
But I digress.
What I found most interesting in the article however was a little graphic showing the subjects of their news releases and how many were about different subjects, thus:
Good grief. WTF is their bloody problem? Is what we do in the privacy of our own bedroom really that much more important than big issues like the poor, disadvantaged and homeless? Or women's rights? Or problem gambling?
Apparently so. Yep, forget about all the poverty, women bashing, families going under becuase of gambling. It's the gays! Gotta stop the gays!
Perth protests the forced closer of Aboriginal communities
A most interesting report from Perth, and a protest rally against the Lieberal state and federal gov's wanting to close down their remote communities and force them off the land. Unbelievable that something like this could happen in Australia today.
The report includes the Abbott statement about "life style choices".
The report includes the Abbott statement about "life style choices".
"The gays are coming to our churches!" - christians must stand up! bla.....
Christians must stand up against the gays! We must preserve our values! Judeao-christian values is what made the US the "greatest nation on earth", bla bla bla......
*sheesh* Get a grip mate.
*sheesh* Get a grip mate.
Time for pitchforks and torches against gay marriage! - christians
I know Scott Lively is a super radical gay hater, but this is total retard even for him. Harking back to the good old days when christians ruled the world (well at least bits of the US) Lively has hurled a war cry at all christians now.
Yes folks, it's time for the pitchforks and torches again. Christians must revolt out onto the streets into some sort of angry crowd, and storm the doors of the citadels in mob rule! Either kill gay marriage or face the wrath of the pitchfork and torch! ("metaphorically speaking" of course).
There's also bare hands and whips involved to. I detect a bit of sexual desire by Lively in amongst all of this.....
The natural family is the ecosystem of humanity! It must be preserved at all costs.
How? By a populist uprising! The elites need to see the angry mob – liberals and conservatives together – surging through the streets, pitchforks and torches held aloft, ready to tear down Frankenstein’s castle with their bare hands if need be. For Christians it’s Jesus and the moneychangers time! Making a whip of cords like He did with His own hands, and letting these arrogant puppet-masters know we mean to use it (metaphorically speaking). Read more
Thursday, 23 April 2015
Positive Speakers Bureau
HIV+ people talk about why they volunteered to be available to speak about their lives with HIV. I really like the last one from Jose; it's pretty much what this blog is all about.
Hmmmmmm............. perhaps I should volunteer myself......
Hmmmmmm............. perhaps I should volunteer myself......
Homeless cop the brunt of Sydney's storm
After 24 years of uninterrupted growth, Australia can do better than this.
Bondi Beach.
Graham Long, CEO and Pastor of the Chapel, said around 100 homelessness people had been arriving each day, hoping to use the showers and dry their clothes.
“[The weather] creates utter misery because we get here in the morning and there’s a queue of people who are soaked to the bone; their clothes, their undies, their socks – completely soaked,” he said.
“If they’ve got a blanket with them that’s soaked too.”
Katherine McKernan, CEO of peak body Homelessness NSW, said emergency accommodation in the state was already running at capacity.
“When a storm happens or if there’s bad weather it means there isn’t somewhere people can be taken to because there is just no additional accommodation,” she said.
“What we need is access to affordable housing so that people can get out of the crisis system and into long term accommodation…the crisis accommodation is getting blocked because there isn’t anywhere to exit people to.” - See more
Bondi Beach.
Internet piracy - The Weekly, Charlie Pickering
Pickering explains the ins and outs of internet piracy in Australia. The Netflix part is truly enlightening.
"Prepare to rebuild a collapsed civilisation" - christians on gay marriage
Why don't these lunatics look outside of the US and actually see gay marriage in various places around the world? I don't see the New Zealand society heading for ruins and civilisation collapsing.
I have to laugh when she uses the term that christians will become a "hated minority" in the US. So how does it feel then? Karma baby, Karma.
I have to laugh when she uses the term that christians will become a "hated minority" in the US. So how does it feel then? Karma baby, Karma.
Zac escaped! Found on roof
We went to bed last night and later on David got up to the toilet and saw the front door a bit ajar. Zac nowhere to be found. The front door in heavy rain warps a bit and you have to really slam it to shut it. Then you have to make sure it's closed, but sometimes you forget. Thing is it looks shut, just that the lock isn't quite in to the metal thing on the door frame. At a quick glance you'd swear it was shut.
Anyway a bit of wind must have pushed it ajar. Lucky we had a towel there otherwise the thing may have been wide open for most of the night.
So it's panic stations. He's a real runner and could be anywhere. David goes around the block three times calling for him. I look in the washroom out the back and around the grounds. Nothing.
Being from a farm I say to David that he'll come back in the morning to get fed, he's not stupid. That's what farm cats do, but of course this is the middle of Sydney and all kinds of different dangers around.
Then David calls out to get the ladder, he's on the bloody roof FFS! Looking just as innocent as ever like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. Looking like "what?" *sheesh* He jumps really high, must have got up on the rubbish bins, then onto the washroom roof, then onto the main roof. The same washroom I'd been looking in earlier. He'd probably been up there the whole time looking around at the big wide world.
Then it was the classic cat stuck on a roof thing and can't get down. Luckily the ladder was tall enough.
Anyway a bit of wind must have pushed it ajar. Lucky we had a towel there otherwise the thing may have been wide open for most of the night.
So it's panic stations. He's a real runner and could be anywhere. David goes around the block three times calling for him. I look in the washroom out the back and around the grounds. Nothing.
Being from a farm I say to David that he'll come back in the morning to get fed, he's not stupid. That's what farm cats do, but of course this is the middle of Sydney and all kinds of different dangers around.
Then David calls out to get the ladder, he's on the bloody roof FFS! Looking just as innocent as ever like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. Looking like "what?" *sheesh* He jumps really high, must have got up on the rubbish bins, then onto the washroom roof, then onto the main roof. The same washroom I'd been looking in earlier. He'd probably been up there the whole time looking around at the big wide world.
Then it was the classic cat stuck on a roof thing and can't get down. Luckily the ladder was tall enough.
Super tax concessions for male income earners - GetUp graph
Unbelievable. This from an email from GetUp today. Talk about unsustainable. Why has it taken so long for this to end up in the public arena?
When you add up all government support for retirement — super tax concessions and the age pension — you see that the top 5% of male income earners get $430K in government support, compared to $250K received by the bottom 10%. How is it that we have a retirement system that offers more state assistance to the wealthy than low income earners?
Labor's proposed reforms will tinker at the edges of this system to decrease concessions, but if we truly want to make our retirement system fair and sustainable, we need to fundamentally rebalance concessions so that more go to low income earners. And by ensuring more people are capable of saving for their own retirement, we'll spend less on the age pension – a win for all Australians.
Wednesday, 22 April 2015
"Hey white guy" video - must watch!
I really think of christian fuckwits when watching, crying terribly about persecution and all. Just don't turn it off after the first few seconds like I nearly did.
Must say, it's been quite an experience going from a white "hetro" married male with a kid, to an HIV+ gay with HIV. My sister mentioned on time how it must be strange now to be in such a minority. The view from the other side of the fence indeed.
Must say, it's been quite an experience going from a white "hetro" married male with a kid, to an HIV+ gay with HIV. My sister mentioned on time how it must be strange now to be in such a minority. The view from the other side of the fence indeed.
Labor targets Super concessions for the very rich
It's not much but at least it's a big step in the right direction. Labor invented Australia's Superannuation scheme under the Hawke gov. The Lieberals however have done nothing but attack it, each time when coming to office they pull bits and pieces off it. Howard canned the increase from 9% to 12% soon after defeating Keating for example, costing (on figures back then) about $100,000 for someone starting in the workforce upon their retirement. Keating's L.A.W. tax cuts that he instead wanted to funnel into retirement savings.
Anyway, ACOSS has already been saying that the very well off shouldn't be getting all these tax breaks on their Super that are far more than the rest of the population. Abbott was too chicken shit to target these few people getting those lurks, instead deciding for a blanket cut to pensions across the board. To the tune of $80 a week after ten years, by changing the indexation rate. Something demonstrably unfair for people like me who need every cent of that pension.
Shorten has obviously listened to the likes of ACOSS and has decided instead on a platform of fairness. This is a no brainer, and IMO not at all "risky" as some are saying. Australians like fairness, which is why Abbott is so on the nose after last years budget disaster. I think Labor is on a winner here.
It's also smart politics. He can now take this policy to Abbott and give bipartisan support to implement it. Abbott will be loath to do so for a number of reasons, not the least of them being another broken promise. He likely won't do it, and be portrayed and highlighted by Shorten as someone against the Australian culture of fairness. Abbott's been snookered.
Bill Shorten however, believes these are few in number, wagering that the vast majority of voters regard generous tax concessions for the genuinely wealthy, as unfair – especially in light of the government's alternative plan to erode the age pension from 2017 through lower indexation. Self-evidently, the poor have no excess income with which to take advantage of better tax rates.
It's an assessment Shorten arrived at after Joe Hockey's first budget, and has parlayed effectively ever since.
Labor's market research supports the conclusion, with the word "budget" becoming a negative term for many voters, thus emboldening Shorten to press the advantage and go more directly after the rich. Even that comes with risks, with critics already noting the class envy aspects of Labor's approach.
"Everyone knows you can't sustain these mega concessions when in fact what we have got to do is make sure that the great bulk of Australians get to a comfortable level of retirement," Shorten said.
"It's just a matter of what are your priorities. We're saying to Tony Abbott, there is a better way of then cutting the pensions for fixed income recipients, we're saying let's look at this very small group who receive a high degree of taxpayer-funded largesse."
Yet the proposed changes make sense. The whole point of tax concessions on superannuation is to encourage ordinary people to save for retirement, thereby taking pressure off the age pension. It was not intended as a device to be used by those with large surpluses of disposable income to park that wealth and therein avoid the normal income marginal rate. more
Christian witch hunt against evil gay sypathisers - US
Amazing how these people are so panicked by gays. Watch as the reporter shows how the christians are examining supporters of the presidential candidates, their families and all, to see if zey zympathize wif ze evil gays. Well something like that.
One preacher guy is even in tears over it. FFS get a grip man. We're not dangerous.
One preacher guy is even in tears over it. FFS get a grip man. We're not dangerous.
Antigay car fixit shop get's graffitied - cries persecution
Same as the anti-gay pizza shop owners. He lights the fuse and cries persecution when the bomb blows up in his face. I don't agree with vandalism, but honestly WTF did he expect? Gay people to just agree with him? Stunning stupidity FFS.
"The homosexual agenda is evil, and is prepared to destroy anyone who gets in its way, or who calls homosexuality a sin. Today it's us; tomorrow, it could be you," Klawiter wrote Tuesday on his company's Facebook page. more
An almighty hurl
Ack, been sick in bed all morning. Last night had dinner and a bit later ended up doing this almighty spew into the toilet. It wasn't just a little bit of a hurl, but went on and on until nothing left to spew. Revolting.
David was fine so it wasn't the food, just me. Have been lying in bed all morning with the Natasha the cat, who looked very happy for the company. She's so nice, always hangs around to give company when I'm sick. She just knows somehow. Gave her the odd pat. Then she started snoring, so cute.
Actually it wasn't so bad in bed. It was still pouring rain this morning in Sydney although the wind had finally dropped. Man some of those wind guts were so bloody strong.
David was fine so it wasn't the food, just me. Have been lying in bed all morning with the Natasha the cat, who looked very happy for the company. She's so nice, always hangs around to give company when I'm sick. She just knows somehow. Gave her the odd pat. Then she started snoring, so cute.
Actually it wasn't so bad in bed. It was still pouring rain this morning in Sydney although the wind had finally dropped. Man some of those wind guts were so bloody strong.
Storm damage Coogee photo
There's a lot of pictures around on the net, but this one is pretty incredible.
Coogee beach is close to us and I know it well. Gives an idea of the force of the wind that the railing was ripped apart like that.
Coogee beach is close to us and I know it well. Gives an idea of the force of the wind that the railing was ripped apart like that.
Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Farewell Golden Credit Card :)
You've changed so much over the years. When I got you in 1985 all you had was a magnetic strip on your back. I can't remember back then either any secret number I had to look up on your back. This was before the internet. Before mobile phones. Before the modern world that we know now.
You adapted and changed to meet this modern world. You got a smart chip thingo embedded in you, and most recently you burst out with Pay Wave. I loved after the magnetic strip thing that I could insert you into the checkout machines and just by typing my PIN I could make the purchase without signing anything. It was so convenient, so fast! But Pay Wave was your golden age. I loved you making the checkout machines bleep at me as I waved you in front of them. It was like I was there, a hip happening modern bloke.
But dearie, you went bad on me in the end. You started charging me insane 20% interest when I was on my ass. It was like you wanted me to fail, like you expected it. Like a vulture moving in for the kill, you started charging me $500 a month just for the pleasure of your bleeps. It was over at that point, but I kept you going until you were all used up by me. Sorry about that but David and I are human beings and not cards and we had to eat you know.
So farewell my darling. It's been a pleasure, but it turned to horror in the end. And BTW, I've found someone else.....
Perhaps I could have told you, but then you'd have spat the dummy and refused to give me anything more at all. Something I wasn't willing to do. Yes, I went capitalist, used you up, now I'm moving on. You may know this new card; it's your younger sibling. A debit card, something of a new invention compared to you.
My new love is your younger multi-access MasterCard. Yes baby, it's mastered you. It has Pay Wave too. It has a fancy chip thing in it too. It has a magnetic strip on it's back (fuck knows where I'm going to use that though) and secret numbers. It's all set for this modern internet world. But it's not going to demand $500 a month for the pleasure. It simply uses my account.
Oh what pleasure. It bleeps everwhere without charging me 20% interest to do so!
I've moved on baby. ......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
