Apologies for not posting

I apologize for those of you who read my blog, I haven’t been posting much lately.

Have been working on my political non-fiction book Freedom Factory. I expect to have it completed within the next few weeks. If someone is interested in proof-reading my copy, message me ur email and ill send you the draft copy.

Avatar (2009)

 

 

 

Went and saw James Cameron’s Avatar (2009) today.  Got the bills paid, put the overpriced petrol in the tank then ambled like a good blogger down to the local cineplex.

Once the smell of pop-corn permeated my nostrils, the 3D glasses came out and I settled in for the ride of a lifetime!

If anyone who is a fan of sci-fi / fantasy hasn’t seen this film GO, GO NOW, GO AND SEE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don’t care if you’re reading this at work DO IT right NOW!

A friend of mine Brenton Cooney, has already seen it four to five times! This is how good it is. The story, the cgi, the sound. I was gratified to note at the end credits that James Horner composed the score.

For any star trek tragics out there, Horner composed the greatest Star Trek score/theme in the history of the franchise seen below:

Seriously if Avatar were a religion I would convert! #EPIC and  totally awesome!

A new world of 3D entertainment has exploded onto our screens and put paid to Howard Hughes who said of (“talkies” i.e. sound in movies in the 20’s-30’s) that “this was the way of the future”. The same can be said of Avatar in our 3D context.

I believe it is breaking technical and thematic ground with its whole new approach to cinematic experience.

The political element

There have been some that I know in the twitter and blogosphere who have intimated that this somehow is a left-leaning film, considering the undertones of environmentalism that it entails through the story.

i.e. Defense of a planets environment by aliens against a foreign occupier etc.

I would beg to differ in relation to this analysis.

I would refer those ultra-conservatives to Free Talk Live’s  analysis of this. Ian and Mark essentially covered the left wing environmentalist angle by saying it is more about Libertarianism and the voluntaryist element of individuals within the Avatar world being of like mind and helping to defend each other, voluntarily against the foriegn invader.

Without spoiling this film, I have to say it is an excellent study in Liberty and one that will be dissected for a long time. I look forward to the sequels!

 

Pithy Post

The first pithy post of 2010

Is the climate change legislation facing its waterloo? LOL.

The story of my political awakening

Note: This post is not intended as a self-indulgence but rather a historical reflection.

This story takes us back to September 11 2001.

With my school education well and truly behind me, I was grinding my way through the 2001 recession with the occasional contract role in IT coming up to fulfill my material needs.

September 11 2001 was a pivotal political and historical moment for me.

This time catalyzed my awareness of the political battle between freedom and other more sinister forces.

I remember it well.

The saturday night before, I had been at the Gabba with my brother and father watching the triumphant Brisbane Lions walloping the Collingwood Football club.

Anthony Rocka was acting up as usual and “Grandpa Alistair Lynch” clobbered him right on the chin in a justice filled attack that silenced Rocka’s dispensing of lip to the Lions. 

Sitting in the general seating area right in front of this event, one would appropriately ask what this has to do with September 11.

It was the night of September 11 that I stayed up to watch Sports tonight to see if Alistair Lynch was going to get off the striking charge which would allow him to play in the Grand Final.

Needless to say, the Sports Tonight coverage cut off and the inevitable feed of CNN took over every commercial channel and the grizzly visage that was to change the world forever took shape.

This event significantly altered my psychological state. I remember staying up all night to watch the entirety of the coverage and only stopped for sleep the next morning.

Grandpa Lynchs’ striking charge was no-where near as important now.

War had been declared on FREEDOM!

Such was the power of this event that I enrolled for the March 2002 intake of UQ’s Political Science BA course to begin exploring the philosophical and political underpinnings of why this was so, as well as to learn more about Australia’s political system and history.

The obligatory, Pols101 type courses filled my days. Peace and conflict studies, Political ideologies, Political institutions and Politics and Justice were the defining intellectual influences of that 2002 period.

I passed semester one, proving that my academic career could develop further, but felt at the same time un-nourished by the intellectual battle going on inside me.

As I entered semester 2 I began branching out into constitutional issues and history subjects, but again felt a nagging self-doubt and loneliness in the journey I was taking.

Bogged down deeper and deeper into research and note-taking, I snapped and experienced what could be considered my first and only nervous breakdown.

After a brief encounter with a psychologist, they determined that my condition was specifically a result of sleep deprivation and over-work as a result of study and simply exhorted me to rest. I wasn’t invincible after all! Another residual adolescent myth from the late 90’s connected to my identity was shattered! 

Thinking back on this period, I remember reflecting on the fact that a combination of my incessant obsessions with research and collecting information and trying to reconcile it in my own reflections, were really an extension of an underlying guilt I incorrectly felt regarding the results of September 11.

The battle raging within me boiled down to the question of whether poverty in the radicalized Islāmic world was really our fault and whether we’d brought the Terrorist’s on ourselves. 

Despite my Right wing economic views these were still countries plagued by a history of external interference, who hadn’t had the chance to experience true democracy.

We and other countries of freedom hadn’t been this badly shaken since World War II!

The dominance of Freedom had seemed like it could stretch on forever.

Yet the jihadist’s claim were that they were striking a blow against American/Western Imperialism.

At that naïve stage of my development, I acutely interpreted this as an attack on individualism, free markets, our  institutions of free governance and the attendant religious and other freedoms that it now seemed we had taken for granted.

In the end though, maturity and more advanced judgement’s showed me that despite the advantages of non-interference, self-defense both morally and politically were the only possible recourse for the horror that we had experienced at the hands of people who do not represent a true moderate majority conducive to Liberal democracy.

It is that political awakening that codified my belief that we should try to be smarter in our War on Terror.  Rather than spreading the resources out in a way that is counter productive, we need to harness the next generation to defeat those who threaten us. Achieve that and it won’t be a worthless effort at achieving freedom after all.

Spring-time for Turnbull

 

With Australia Day just around the corner. The usual suspects in the Australian Republican Movement will and indeed already have come out and started throwing dirt on Australia’s institutions of Governance, calling for change of the flag and anthem etc.

It got me thinking. Australia’s chief figurehead of the failed 1999 Australian Republican movement in Australia was none other than Malcolm Turnbull #fail

This must really be Spring-time for Turnbull. Getting to spout his drivel to the Australian community in the glare of Australia Day. In the vein and self-aggrandizing hope that one day he could finally be called Chancellor of a Federal Republic of Australia.

I’m sorry Freudian slip, I meant to say President of the Federal Republic of Australia.

Unfortunately such whimsy that exists inside Mr. Turnbull’s brain and also inside most of the other republicans will not come to fruition.

In speaking to a Republican recently, I discovered that their argument against their democratically achieved defeat in 1999 was purely co-incidental.

They did not recognize the result because the plebiscite in their view was rigged!

Rigged in favour of a negative response and rigged thus by their former nemesis John Winston Howard.

It seems weird then that a movement that cannot accept the overwhelming view of  the Australian people would be so arrogant to assume that the same vote could be held again in the vein view of a different result.

I come  to the old saying that repeating a set of events in the hope of achieving a different result is insanity. Quite frankly this holds true for the Australian Republican Movement at the current time.

Their’s is an innately insane view that posit’s that Australia will inevitably become a Federal Republic and that an Australian will be head of state. This is to use the mother countries verbage “bollocks!”.

I repeat for emphasis this is utterly insane!

The stability of the Australian constitution is such that we have enjoyed 200 years of democracy without civil war or revolutionary uprising.

We have not required succession, abolition of the states or a bloody Coup d’état  because the proper mix of English Parliamentary democracy and American style Federalism was inserted into the constitution of our Federation.

Hence, through the depths of intellectual space, we see people like George Negus and Ray Martin, arguing through the media that Republicanism would be a proper path.  Whether directly or by stealthy reference to the change of the flag and anthem this remains dangerous, undemocratic and frankly irresponsible. I thought they were better than that!   

So vain was their lost hopes for a Republic in 1999 that they would rather continue in the media denigrating a successful and stable system of Government, that has and will continue to provide them with important positions in our society.

I find Mr Turnbull’s continued insistence in denying Australia’s democratic choice in 1999 repugnant and hope he has another opportunity to deliver the defeat speech at a future plebiscite!

Until next time, join with me in reflecting on Spring-time for Turnbull

 

Federalism v.s. Centralism

It has come to my attention that 2010 may well be dominated by the debate between Federalism and Centralism and its overall interpretation in the Constitution.

Being fully aware of the history of referenda on constitutional issues, the Australian people are especially clear in not wanting to tinker with what has been an effective and democratic constitutional arrangement. 

It would seem appropriate then that two centralists “Kevin Rudd”and “Tony Abbott”will be going head to head in the lead up to the next election later this year.

It is also especially ironic to realize that the current Prime Minister’s seat Griffith, would be named after a Federalist. But I digress.

The key debate of Federalism v.s. Centralism will rage in the next 12-18 months.

As a sidenote: I read in the paper recently that Senator Barnaby Joyce has been arguing for the abolition of the states. A centralist swish on the basketball court of constitutional law as it were.

This represents an attack on our Federal Constitution and Australia!

It is another reason in a long line of reasons why I vehemently opposed the merger of the Liberal and National Parties in Queensland. To allow centralist figures full sway in the coalition party room, is not a positive political situation, particularly when we are trying to shore up our political base.

What is needed is a renewal of Federalism, not a debate about the centralist children appropriately named ”abolitionism” and “successionism” respectively.

A return to the functional process of states rights based around a small, Federalist governmental approach must be the core aim. 

The words “vertical fiscal imbalance”seem to spring to mind in this debate also. I would refer you to P.J. Keatings disasterous tenure as Treasurer for more information on that particular issue.

Don’t be fooled by the call of Centralism and its claim of being able to achieve more from Canberra.

The original intention of the Australian Constitution was not for Federal Bureaucracy to decide what is right for the states and hence for us.

I then hear you ask, but what about the dysfunctionality of the Labor states?! There is a form of paralysis that has set in with Federal State relations under both Federal Labor and Liberal Governments that demands a centralist takeover!

I say bollocks to that!

The only way to repair the states is for the people to use their democratic right and turf out the dsyfunctional state Governments who aren’t pulling their political weight. Democracy is after all inherently Federalist in nature!

In conclusion I refer you to the mission statement of the Samuel Griffith Society

http://www.samuelgriffith.org.au/pages/aboutus.html

The purposes of The Samuel Griffith Society are as follows:

To found a Society named after Sir Samuel Walker Griffith, First Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia. As Premier of Queensland and subsequently Chief Justice of the Queensland Supreme Court, Griffith was one of the prime movers of Federation. During his term as Chief Justice of the High Court from 1903 until his debilitating illness in 1917, he consistently supported the rights of States against the powers of the Federal Government. To set out as a preamble to the specific purpose of the Society a statement of the role of constitutions and parliamentary and legal institutions in the following terms: One important function of political constitutions, and indeed of all political institutions, should be that of maintaining civil peace and concord, and of protecting citizens from the arbitrary abuse of power, including executive power. People who have experienced nothing but peaceful association within the society in which they have grown up, take the incalculable benefits of such civil quietness for granted. The terrors of civil war or threats of civil war, of savage government repression, seem to most native born Australians to be beyond comprehension, and certainly beyond the realms of possibility here. Nevertheless, civil unrest – ethnic, political and religious violence – has been endemic throughout recorded history. Arbitrary arrest and imprisonment has, likewise, been commonplace. Those countries which have achieved long periods of unbroken civil peace, with societies which have lived under the rule of law, have also become prosperous. Some of these countries have written constitutions. Others do not. Australia has an unbroken record of constitutional government and rule of law. It was one of the first nations to establish universal suffrage. It has been entirely free from any hint of civil war. Up until the Great War of 1914-18 Australia was also in per capita terms, the richest country in the world. The strength of our parliamentary and legal institutions, of our political conventions and modes of behaviors, is, arguably, Australia’s greatest asset. The Constitution which Australians drafted and accepted in the 1890’s, and which established the framework of the Australian nation as a sovereign federal state, is the keystone of this structure and has served us well. It has protected our democracy, and our liberties, by providing for independent centres of political authority and the diffusion of power which flows from that. The Australian people have voted many times against proposed amendments. We must presume that they regard the Constitution, on the whole, with approval. All institutions, nevertheless, require refurbishment and repair. There is growing concern at the decline in the prestige, standing and influence of Parliament, and the growing centralisation of power and authority in the Executive. There is also concern at the expansion of the power of the Commonwealth at the expense of the States, the increasing centralisation of power in Canberra, and the consequent growth of a Commonwealth bureaucracy which, in many areas, deals with matters which were originally the sole concern of the States. As we approached the centenary of the passage of the Commonwealth of Australia Act (1900), by the British Parliament, a vigorous debate built up, focused on changes which some people wished to see made to the Constitution, to the place of the monarchy in that Constitution, and to our parliamentary institutions. The founders of The Samuel Griffith Society wish to encourage and promote the widest possible debate not only on particular constitutional issues but on the health of our political and legal institutions generally. We intend to emphasize federalist views and to reverse the Canberra-led erosion of our federal institutions. In the light of the foregoing, the Society proposes the following objectives: Generally: to promote discussion of constitutional matters through the articulation of a clear position in support of decentralisation of power through the renewal of our federal structure; to defend the great virtues of the present Constitution against those who would undermine it in order to supplant it with a unitary state; to restore the authority of Parliament and defend the independence of the judiciary; to foster and support reform of Australia’s constitutional system to these ends. Specifically: to arrange conferences, hold meetings, publish papers, and inform people and governments in accordance with the general objectives set out above; thereby to encourage a wider understanding of Australia’s Constitution and the nation’s achievements under the Constitution. Priority Areas: The following areas of priority have been identified in the wider debate over Australia’s constitutional future: the need to redress the federal balance in favour of the States, in view of the excessive expansion of Commonwealth power and the need to decentralise decision making. the need to safeguard judicial independence in light of increasing executive encroachments; the need to reassert the role of Parliament (including that of the Speaker and President of the Senate) vis a vis the Executive; the need to review the financial arrangements between the Commonwealth and the States with a view to achieving a more equitable and efficient division of taxation power and a greater sense of financial responsibility on the part of all Governments. the need to redress the duplication of bureaucracy by clearly defining the respective spheres of Commonwealth and State interest and by eliminating Commonwealth influences in matters that should be the concern of the States; the need to consider, and as appropriate, develop alternative methods of constitutional amendment, such as States’ initiatives. Immediate Aims: To promote widespread discussion of these matters. To attract for the Society a stable membership and funding base.

Horror Novel!

Had a crazy idea the other day. Was thinking maybe I should dip my toe back into the creative writing pool and write a horror novel!

Came up with 3 titles so far:

Torchlight Series

Torchlight I: Rise of the Prodosaurs

Torchlight II: Curse of the Underlings

Torchlight III: Revenge of the Iron Maiden

I reckon it sounds goofy, but the titles just came to me one day. Was thinking of getting away from the Zombie/Vampire craze and doing a more sci-fi fantasy mix.

Whadda reckon?

If you have any ideas or suggestions message me!

Lurching into a New Year

A brief commentary on the Christmas new year period would seem appropriate at this time.

After the usual family festivities and holiday relaxation the mind is acutely re-focused by the shuddering visual molasses of New Years Eve.

For some undefinable reason I felt mightily underwhelmed by the heralding of this new year 2010.

Perhaps it was the Sydney fireworks display that underwhelmed me with its hype and vapid egotism.

Perhaps it is a sense of foreboding regarding my 30th year. That somehow an era in my life is passed and a new more uncertain adventure awaits.

Or perhaps more acutely it is the knowledge and understanding I have of what awaits politics in this country in the next ten to eighteen months.

Either way for some odd reason I like the idea of picking up my stuff, packing a backpack and just going on the road to discover where life will take me, rather than submitting myself to the continual regimentation of suburban life.

My advice to you readers of this niche blog is simple:

1. Don’t make New Years Resolutions!

2. Recognize the New Decade about to dawn will be one of anarchic unpredictability on all social and economic fronts

3. Renew your knowledge pool, study economics and history even if normally you aren’t interested in it.

4. Prepare only for spontaneous creativity.

5. Watch for unlikely heroes to emerge in the climate change debate on both sides of the argument in the next few years.

6. Most importantly keep an open mind.

If you can achieve any of this, perhaps pessimism about the new year and beyond won’t be such a drama after all.

John Adams: On Liberty and the Price of Freedom

It seems rather poignant that in an age when liberty has never been under so violent an attack, the drama series John Adams has sprung forth from the brains trust at HBO.

This has been a particularly articulate and timely dramatic interpretation of the early years of the American Republic.

It has breathed life into the historical figures and shown differing perspectives on the battle for Liberty and Freedom that led to the Declaration of Independence.

I like the fact that a human face has been put on this story beyond the austerity that is usually ascribed to such historical subject matter.

In the same way that Amazing Grace demonstrated the story of William Wilberforce and his struggles to abolish slavery so too has HBO achieved great things in putting a human face on John Adams.

I am still a loyal subject of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II.

Having said that, I am conscious of the historical and constitutional synergies that exist between the Australian and American systems of Federal Government.

I also believe in the most part that the original intention was to establish a small verging on minarchist system of Government that would by its very nature leave people alone to go about the pursuit of their individual life and happiness as originally stated.

Unfortunately Government intrusion in current times re-minds one of the importance of eternal vigilance.

Day-dreaming this morning, I wondered what the founders of the American Constitution would have thought if they had of been around to see the size of Government today.

The Government which they instituted for a free people being trampled on by bailouts and general socialist malaise that constricts true freedom.

How is it that Government is compelled to intervene in every aspect of our lives? It seems clear in the current Tea Party movement that a realisation is emerging that “We the people” means just that!

Taking back Government and minimising its impact on the everyday lives of everyday citizens, demands that these same citizens begin arguing not just their desires be heard but that the necessary changes be made.

Perhaps it is a mixture of my English and Irish heritage doing the talking, but the anti-authoritarian slant of the modern Libertarian and general tea-party movement has many appealing features.

It is these same people that believe in the core tenants of Freedom and Independence of mind, body and spirit that drove them to take and defend that which they believed was rightfully theirs.

The truth is that the struggle must continue. It is though against the encroachment of the instituted Government rather than a foreign power who though well intentioned did in instances abuse its prerogative and powers beyond what the people were willing to tolerate.

This does not mean that I am at all willing to switch my allegiance to the Republican cause. However the historical and social lessons in the HBO John Adams series are clear. Whether at home or abroad, the price of freedom is indeed eternal vigilance!

Extremism #EpicFail

I recently started a podcast site called LibertyCircus.

Due to lack of resources, I occasionally podcast there on political issues from home and abroad.

Anyway, the idea is loosely based on Gardiner Goldsmith’s LibertyConspriacy.com which is an “awesome” American news, opinion and general discussion site aimed at Liberty oriented listeners.

I assumed I wouldn’t have much trouble managing my site. But it turns out an extremist added themselves to my site under the name texas_warrior.

I didn’t realize until recently that the person using the handle texas_warrior, was connected to a site called stormfront!

I recently started receiving messages on my admin board from the  individual claiming to be associated to “national socialism” and other stormfront oriented subject areas, exhorting me to join.

Shocked by this I catalogued this persons messages and investigated the stormfront site.

Turns out it is an American race-hate site, oriented towards, white supremacist and other extreme groups connected to “nationalist socialism” and other nasties.

Being fully aware of the historical background pertaining to the natural conclusion of aforesaid “national socialism” particularly in Europe, I was keen to make sure this person didn’t fly under my radar any further.

After several unsuccessful attempts at trying to recruit me to his cause, I started receiving spam messages, and made the final decision to block/delete his account this morning.

Looking back through my catalogue, I did make some commentary in previous podcasts about the recent emergence of the BNP in the EC/EU elections. Purely from an analytical perspective!

Perhaps this piqued his interest and drew his like to me. I’m certain now that I was heard out of context.

I have a long family history of men and women who served in the armed forces of Australia specifically defending against such extremism and providing the bedrock upon which our current freedoms are founded.

Granted these freedoms are under attack again but it is from a more stealthy philosophical basis rather than the nation-state approach of the early half of the 20th century. But I digress.

One great-grandfather fought in the fields of France during World War I, another great-grandfather was a skilled tradesman who built weaponry that was used in Europe during World War II to aid in the successful repulsion of the National Socialist Nazi advance.

It’s true to say that when it boils down to it, I’m on the winning side of history.

I readily admit that I’m not perfect and am constantly working on trying to be a better person and more socially conscious from the perspective of free-markets and individualism.  

However, this incident to me, reinforces the paramount importance of vigilance in the fight for freedom.

We should not be distracted by minor matters, but concentrate our efforts on upholding the greatness and virtue of those ANZACs and other allies who put their lives on the line to defend a free and pluralistic form of society such as ours.

That’s the reason I started LibertyCircus,To make some serious points about whats happening with our liberty at home and in the wider world. 

The natural conclusion – Extremism #EpicFail