iPhone

submitted to SMH
All these stories about Apple's iPhone. Sure it looks really cool - but pricey; will they offer a cheaper "shuffle" model that will just dial a number at random in the hope that you want to talk to that person?

Water Greed

"> Published in SMH Letters Page on 12/01/2007

Can someone please tell me what it would take for a ballot at the state election to ask "Are you so darned selfish that you would strenuously object to recycled water?" If the electorate answers "Yes" - well we get what we deserve.

Patriotism

"Submitted" to SMH

Abbey Bowman (Letters, January 8) seems to miss Lisa Pryor's point ("Flying the flag for an upside-down kind of patriotism", January 6-7). The rednecks referred to certainly don't "ache for others to be" Australia-loving people. They want this land all for themselves. It isn't patriotism, it is xenophobia, racism, NIMBYism, and a misplaced sense of right.

"Pride" should begin with who you are - what you have achieved, and what you contribute. Not where you (through no choice of your own making) were born. Likewise, "patriotism" should not be blind love for the country where one resides - its climate, and natural beauty (again, "accidents of nature"), but pride in what our country stands for, how our citizenry treats each other, and for how our government represents us.

"Patriotism" comes with a responsibility to contribute to the society constructively to enhance our privileged existence here for all. It is not a blind acceptance that this place is great, we're here, it's all ours.

Shall we all start feeling patriotic about AWB, Children Overboard, Deaths in Custody, Stolen Generation, Cornelia Rau, David Hicks, Cronulla Riots, and now Kunthea Ker?

Domestic Terrorism

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If bacteria grown in flour is a "biological agent" ("Scary powder was just flour" SMH 06/12), does this mean the AWB not only financed the Iraqi biological weapons program, but also supplied the feedstock?

Women cant be trusted

Earle Mardle (letters 20 November) suggests mandatory DNA testing at birth to catch spousal cheats and to protect the rights of children. Wow! Thank god I'm gay and not likely to be fathering any kids; I really do not want ANY government or private sector agency getting their hands on my genetic makeup thanks. The only reason that this does not yet happen is practicality, not some touchy feely reason such as ethics or right to privacy. This overly simplistic view completely displaces a whole heap of other rights - like genetic privacy - to "protect" a tiny minority of duped men. Why not take it a step further - an early amnio so that the male partner can decide whether or not to continue the relationship, or pressure the mother to terminate the "bastard"?

ABC Shakeup

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Ken Cullen (Letters November 2), fear not. Media Watch is not going. But in line with the media shakeup underway Monica and Kerry O'Brien are to be replaced by David Flint and (unfortunately for Fairfax) Miranda Devine; negotiations are still underway to see which of them gets which gig. The bad news for News is that Piers is applying for the Director of Editorial Policy.

Werribee shame

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From the lack of any reporting to the contrary, I can only conclude that those sub-human bastards from
Werribee are of traditional Australian white stock. We would have heard about it if they werent. Does this also explain the lack of interest in the Letters page?

Who U Callin' Jesus???

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John Brennan's letter ( 23/10) did have some reasonable points, but to compare Allan Jones plight to that of Jesus Christ is ludicrous. Jesus did not remorselessly attack those whom he did not agree with, nor threaten nor bully; netiher was the Sermon on the Mount sponsored by corporate interests, nor influenced by "crib notes" from the rabbinate or the court of Herod.

Prayer economies

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Harrold Stewart (letters 10 Oct) beseeches us to pray at each meal saying that God will use our prayers to save our farmers and their produce. Does He weigh up the crisis to be alleviated based on volume of prayer?

Perhaps chuches could set up premium phone services, priced competitive to Idol or Big Brother so punters could put their money where their prayer is; help with famine relief for africa, global warming, world peace, domestic drought relief, priests' retirement funds, or whatever the crisis de jour happens to be. A standard "issue specific" prayer that those out of practice can use comes thru the phone; money is collected to help alleviate the "crisis" specified; and technology can help introduce a prayerless generation to the practice.

Greer v Cousteau

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I know that the election season is over in Qld, but does Mr Beattie want to impose treble levies on future filming projects of M Cousteau now for having the temerity to criticise "Our Steve" on the day of his memorial service? (" Irwin interfered with nature, says Cousteau"). Or is there going to be an apology to Ms Greer.

FOI? U must be joking

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While paraphrased in the article "Scrutinising our political masters just got harder" (SMH 07 Sep), Justices Callinan and Heydon used redundant logic; our senior public servants are already well versed in the art of the non-memo; the public lost faith in the integrity of the decision making process years ago, the Governments of Australia (the States are equally wily) encourage confusion and obfuscation; the Westminster system of government went out the window at the same time as the politicisation and appointment on contract of the senior executives of the public service.

These are the very reason why we need effective access to an FOI system that actually works.

PSA Testing

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It is hard enough to get middle aged males to go to the GP at the best of times; if one does happen to present, surely Tony Abbot is not going to be outraged at the burden to Medicare of $20.50 (according to the current Medicare Schedule) for an annual (non-age limited) PSA test? ("MP attacks Abbott on prostate comments" Online 01 September). This time his defense is (allegedly) the Prostate Cancer Foundation guidelines. Surely this "new" technology would be welcomed by him as it may replace the old fashioned digital-rectal-examination which is probably a theological abomination – especially if a second opinion is called for.

checks, what balance?

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I didn't bother putting fingers to keyboard earlier in the week as I thought there would be a flood of letters over the "revelation" that some centrelink staff have been caught pulling up files that they dont have any business accessing ("Centrelink staff sacked over breaches" August 22, 2006).

If 19 employees were terminated, and 92 resigned when faced with "accusations of inappropriate breaches of privacy", why were only 5 cases referred to the AFP for possible prosecution?

I checked the letters pages since this was reported and there was not one letter published about this huge breach of public trust.

While I am happy to admit that the results of this "electronic survey" indicates an overwhelming majority of staff are doing the right thing, these breaches are all Federal offences, and surely the Federal Police are the ones who should be making the determination as to whether prosecution should occur. If staff are to be internally fined, surely that would merit independent (judicial) review.

I would also be interested to learn if the clients whose privacy has been breached, have been made aware.

Census mythconceptions

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Steve Twining (letters 11 Aug) doubts that Catholic was listed at top of the religion list because of numbers of adherents; according to the 2001 census (easily fround at www.abs.gov.au), of the 18,769,000 total, 12,7564,000 nominated a christian denomination, and by far the most numerous group (with 5,001,624) replied Catholic. I'm not being an apologist for "the mad monk" or the catholic church, but I do think that the ABS is probably the most independent of government agencies. No need to apply Mark Twain's aphorism here.