A Midnight Reflection

Posted by George Brown on 21/07/2012
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Those of you who know me, will know my occupation as a manager in the provsion of paramedical services. You may not be aware however, that I still like to work at the coalface and do on-road shifts as the opportunity arises.

So it was that I worked a 12 hour night shift at a station about 90km from my usual workplace recently. Moreover, I tend not to wear my rank when I’m doing these shifts so as better to fit into the team and to put the other person at ease. My partner for the night was a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, who I knew fairly well and we felt quite comfortable in each other’s company.  Being a former serviceman myself, there was a certain understanding and comfort between us.

The phone rang at 0200, and off we went to call 75km from the station we were based at. It was going to take us an hour to get there!

Imagine this. Two ex-serviceman, a long drive along a country road in the early hours of the morning.  The conversation turned to that of military service. As stated my partner had recently completed a 9 month tour of Afghanistan and we got to talk about what it means to serve one’s country, the effect that active service has on a soldier, and what happens upon their return from active service, and so on.

I asked him what were his biggest observations after serving in Afghanistan as a reserve member of Australia’s elite special forces. His reply was three-fold.

  1. After being “in harm’s way” for the duration of his tour, and putting life and limb at risk for the service of his country, he was dismayed at how many people of his own age were happy to “ride the welfare state” here at home.  It perhaps called him to question the reason for doing what he had done to serve his country. Before becoming a paramedic, he thought that “pensioners” were all old people.
  2. He was possibly equally critical of his fellow servicemen who upon their return from active service were also happy to “milk” the system for all the benefits available for returned veterans, whether thay were entitled or not.
  3. Most importantly, he stated that he found it difficult to fit back into his “day” job, and to talk about his his experiences, because not many people (mostly other servicemen) can appreciate or understand what he had experienced during his tour of duty.

As we travelled, he opened up somewhat and we talked about many things to do with service and the ongoing effects that service can have on the individual.  I listened a lot, with a comment here or there, and offered support wherever I could.  He seemed happy to talk, as I was happy to listen. He confided that he was seeking professional assistance and had recently resumed service as a reservist with the Army.  He was NOT seeking further tours of active service.

I felt privileged and honoured that he had confided in me, and I hope I was able to offer that which he sought. At the end of the shift we parted with a firm hand shake and an unspoken understanding of what had taken place.

The Sanctity of the Confessional

Posted by George Brown on 19/07/2012
Posted in: News, Religion. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

I read with amazement the state government of Victoria is considering legislation, which if passed would order priests to reveal the secrets of the confessional.

The Victorian govermental inquiry into child abuse is set to overturn centuries of Catholic tradition in relation to the sanctity of the confessional.  Further the committee is suggesting that bishops could also face charges over the misconduct of their priests.

From the outset let me say that sexual abuse, under any circumstance, involving an adult or child, is a crime. It can never be condoned. It is the duty of society to do everything it can to eliminate it, in all forms, and in all places in society, not just in the Church.

The report suggest that mandatory reporting rules should be imposed on the confessional.  In my view the Sacrament of Penance is a religious tradition which goes back many hundreds of years. It is my understanding (as I’m not Catholic), that the confessor does not “get off” for the sin or sins committed, and that a priest may delay or withhold absolution, if he believes the confessor to be less than genuine, or if he has doubts in respect of their resolve to avoid further sin.  The priest may also set a penance which involves revealling the crime to civil authorities, before absolution is granted.

Further the report states “Should officials in religious and other organisations be held criminally responsible for the actions of perpetrators of child abuse in their employ or for whom they have responsibility?”  In Ireland where similar laws were introduced, priests have vowed to disobey the laws, and as a result could be subject to 10 years inprisonment.

It is logical to expect that if legislation requires priests to divulge that passed betweeen the priest and the penitent in the confessional, then those contentious issues would not be revealled to the priest.

Father John Walshe of the Australian Confraternity of Catholic Clergy stated “Priests have in the past history of the Church been martyred for refusing to break the seal of the confessional and I believe priests today would continue to do the same.”

The inquiry is due to present its report to the Victorian in April 2013.

The content of the report or any aspect of it does not mean the automatic introduction or passage of legislation.

See more on this subject here and here

Further to the above story, I have now learned that the Premier of Victoria has stated publicly that current rites and practices will not be changed.

German Government bans Circumcision

Posted by George Brown on 17/07/2012
Posted in: Health, Religion. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

A ban on circumcision by the courts in Germany has suprised and shocked the nation’s Jews and Muslims. Also brought into question is the right of parents to make decisions for their children.

A court ruling in Germany has effectively banned circumcision and has Jews and Muslims united in anger – and they are backed by the country’s main medical association and many members of the German parliament.

Muslims have warned that the devout will take their sons abroad to be circumcised.

Jews have reminded the world that attacks on Jewish religious rituals have have continued in Europe since the time of the Romans and have been outraged by the latest ban. A Russian rabbi in Berlin called it “perhaps the most serious attack on Jewish life in Europe since the Holocaust”, although that comparison may be a little extreme.

The German government spokesman said that circumcision must be possible in Germany – though he didn’t say whether the District court decision would be referred to a higher court.

The district court of Cologne in handing down its decision stated circumcision “for the purpose of religious upbringing constitutes a violation of physical integrity”. They further added, “The child’s body is permanently and irreparably changed by the circumcision. This change conflicts with the child’s interest of later being able to make his own decision on his religious affiliation.”

The decision arose as a result of a circumcision on a four-year-old Muslim boy who later was taken to hospital when complications developed. The case entered the German legal system and the doctor carrying out the circumcision was prosecuted.  It was alleged that the doctor “physically mistreated another person and injured that person’s health by means of a dangerous instrument”.

The doctor was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing, however the court decided that circumcision was illegal but that the doctor couldn’t have known that. It had been done for so long that what seemed legal, wasn’t.  As the doctor was cleared, there can be no appeal to a higher court, which means the soundness of the rest of the judgement cannot be tested, at least in the near future.

The decision of the court leaves doctors with a dilemma. Doctors are convinced that circumcision is best performed under medical conditions by physicians in a hospital. As this is no longer legally possible, doctors will be advised not to perform these operations because they run the legal risk of being taken to court.

Without entering into any religious debate on this matter, I note that circumcision is one of the oldest rituals in Judaism dating back 4000 years to the times of Abraham.  The procedure is often carried out by a “mohel” who is trained to carry out circumcisions, but many Jewish parents prefer the added safety of having the procedure done in a hospital or clinic.  According to the Jewish faith, the procedure (normally) must be carried out on the baby’s eighth day of life.  Thus this ruling would have a profound effect on the parents of Jewish boys who wish to conform with the beliefs and teachings of their faith.

For Muslims the decision is not quite so dire as a Muslim boy can wait until puberty before having the procedure carried out.  Muslim parents have  stated that they will take their sons abroad to have the procedure carried out if it cannot be legally done in Germany.

A senior rabbi in the UK believes the decision of the German court was primarily directed at Muslims, with  Jews being “collateral” damage.  There are many more Muslims in Germany than Jews.

After many rabbis travelled to Berlin to protest the decision, a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel reassured Germany’s Jewish and Muslim communities that they would be free to carry out circumcision on young boys in spite of the court ban which has challenged religious freedom in Germany.

Ms Merkel’s spokesman stated that is should be “absolutely clear” that Jewish and Muslim religious life will be accepted and welcome in Germany, and that  “Circumcision carried out in a responsible manner must be possible in this country without punishment.”

Chancellor Angela Merkel stated today (17th) that Germany could become a laughing stock if it failed to overturn a district court ban on circumcision that has enraged both Jews and Muslims alike. The Merkel government has already criticised the court ruling and promised a new law to protect the right to circumcise male infants.

“I do not want Germany to be the only country in the world where Jews cannot practise their rituals. Otherwise we will become a laughing stock,” Merkel was quoting as saying today. The new law could be introduced as early as autumn.

The Way of the Future?

Posted by George Brown on 15/07/2012
Posted in: Technology. Leave a comment

This report should not be seen as an advertisement for a car, nor is it an endorsement of the maufacturer of the vehicle described herein. I dont normally consider myself  “green”, but rather environmentally responsible. However I did come accross this interesting reference to a new technology which I found to be rather exciting.  The “all-electric” car was a concept which I found intriguing, and perhaps the future of how electric cars should and will be.

Enter the Holden “Chevrolet” Volt!

Many hybrids have always appeared to be a half-hearted approach to the electric vehicle (EV).  The Volt,with its unique Voltec electric drive system, could well be the ground-breaker for EV cars of the future.

It is an all electric car, but then again it’s not! It does have a small petrol engine. Then it’s not really a hybrid either.

Hybrids couple a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) to an electric motor and utilise both. Depending on the driving conditions, these engines are used either individually or paired to drive the wheels. Not so the Volt! The function of the petrol engine is to drive the generator which recharges the battery. At high speeds, or under heavy load, the generator also provides additional drive through the planetary gears. The electrics are connected to and drive the wheels, not the ICE.

Holden Volt

The Volt has a 111kW and 368Nm electric motor that drives the wheels and a lithium-ion battery to power the electric motor. The Volt also has a 1.4 litre (63kW) petrol engine that drives a generator to charge the battery pack. Maximum torque in an electric engine is available throughout its power  band.  However and most importantly the Volt can be recharged by plugging into a home powerpoint. The cost of doing a full recharge is about AU$2.50.  The range of the Volt is “unlimited”.  The owner need never plug it itno a powerpoint to recharge it as the petrol engine will keep the battery fully charged. Until the petrol engine runs out of fuel! It’s not a unique technology, diesel-elecrtic trains have been using a similar system for years, but it’s nver been used in a car before. The combination of technologies will give the Volt a range of 500km before recharging or refuelling. To continue further, you don’t need to find a powerpoint, you only need find a petrol station.

The car will similarly sized to their existing Vectra, which means it will be a full bodied sedan (wagon).

On the down-side, if there is a downside, the Volt is expected to go on the market for around AU$60,000. It could be argued that the reduction in fuel costs will offset that steep purchase price. The green community will probably endorse the vehicle as it’s carbon footprint should be markedly reduced.  It will certainly appeal to the environmentally responsible amongst us!

The only question I ask is this: What is the longevity of the batteries, and what will be the cost to replace them?

Australian SAS veteran killed in Afghanistan Farwelled in Perth

Posted by George Brown on 15/07/2012
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SAS veteran Sergeant Blaine Diddams, who was killed in Afghanistan earlier this month, has been farewelled at a Perth funeral.

Sergeant Diddams was on his seventh deployment to Afghanistan when he was shot in the chest on a mission to hunt down an enemy commander on July 2.

Sergeant Diddams had served with the SAS since 1995.

He was the 33rd Australian soldier to be killed in Afghanistan, but the first this year.

Family, friends and fellow soldiers assembled at Karrakatta Cemetery to pay their respects.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard attended the ceremony with Defence Minister Stephen Smith.

A senior Army officer described Sergeant Diddams as being at the “top of his game” in terms of command whilst also being humble and loyal to his fellow soldiers.

“Today we mark the passing of one of the unit’s finest warriors,” he said.

“Sergeant Blaine Diddams now rests in peace among 47 of his mates who in the service of this fine country, the Defence Force and special service regiment have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

“For Sergeant Blaine Diddams and his family, you are forever etched into the fabric of this fine organisation.”

I trust that you will join me in a period of reflective contemplation to mark the passing of this fine young soldier.

Lest We Forget.

A Priceless Story

Posted by George Brown on 13/07/2012
Posted in: Humour. Leave a comment

If this wasn’t a serious issue, it would be funny!

A man living in Kandos (near Rylstone and Mudgee) received a bill last March for his as yet unused gas line stating that he owed $0.00. He ignored it and threw it away. In April he received another bill and threw that one away too. The following month the gas company sent him a very nasty note stating that they were going to cancel his gas line if he didn’t send them $0.00 by return mail.

He called them, talked to them, and they said it was a computer error and they would take care of it. The following month he decided that it was about time that he tried out the troublesome gas line figuring that if there was usage on the account it would put an end to this ridiculous predicament. However, when he went to use the gas, it had been cut off.

He called the gas company who apologised for the computer error once again and said that they would take care of it. The next day he got a bill for $0.00 stating that payment was now overdue. Assuming that having spoken to them the previous day the latest bill was yet another mistake, he ignored it, trusting that the company would be as good as their word and sort the problem out.

The next month he got a bill for $0.00. This bill also stated that he had 10 days to pay his account or the company would have to “take steps” to recover the debt.

Finally, giving in, he thought he would beat the gas company at their own game and mailed them a cheque for $0.00. The computer duly processed his account and returned a statement to the effect that he now owed the gas company nothing at all.

A week later, the manager of the Mudgee branch of the Westpac Banking Corporation called our hapless friend and asked him what he was doing writing cheque for $0.00. After a lengthy explanation the bank manager replied that the $0.00 cheque had caused their cheque processing software to fail. The bank could therefore not process ANY cheques they had received from ANY of their customers that day because the cheque for $0.00 had caused the computer to crash.

The following month the man received a letter from the gas company claiming that his cheque had bounced and that he now owed them $0.00 and unless he sent a cheque by return mail they would take immediate steps to recover the debt.

At this point, the man decided to file a debt harassment claim against the gas company. It took him nearly two hours to convince the clerks at the local courthouse that he was not joking. They subsequently helped him in the drafting of statements which were considered substantive evidence of the aggravation and difficulties he had been forced to endure during this debacle.

The matter was heard in the Magistrate’s Court in Mudgee and the outcome was this:

The gas company was ordered to:
[1] Immediately rectify their computerized accounts system or Show Cause, within 10 days, why the matter should not be referred to a higher court for consideration under Company Law.
[2] Pay the bank dishonour fees incurred by the man.
[3] Pay the bank dishonour fees incurred by all the Westpac clients whose cheques had been bounced on the day our friend’s had been processed.
[4] Pay the claimant’s court costs; and
[5] Pay the claimant a total of $1500 per month for the 5 month period March to July inclusive as compensation for the aggravation they had caused their client to suffer.

And all this over $0.00

This is a great story isn’t it? It illustrates a fine example of bureaucracy gone mad, and the impersonal nature of computerised systems. The gas flow is measured by automatic flow meters. The accounts are then raised by computers, stuffed in envelopes by an automatic letter feeder, stamped by a franker, and sent to the customer without so much as being viewed by a human throughout the whole accounting process to check their accuracy. The sole aim being to cut costs. It is also stated that Derek Guille broadcast this story on his afternoon program on ABC radio on Thursday, 24 January 2002.

Except……that this whole story is an urban myth! It started circulation in about 1997 and the offending company has been a credit card company, an oil company, a student loan company and in this Australian version which appearred in 2003, a gas company.

Look here for further information.

Remember the old adage of never letting the truth get in the way of a good story!

Abbott Pulls the Plug!

Posted by George Brown on 12/07/2012
Posted in: News. Leave a comment

The solution to the continuing issue the boat people impasse was dealt a fatal blow last night after Opposition Leader Tony Abbott formally refused to take part in the Prime Minister’s independent committee to find an end to the asylum seeker crisis which threatens Labor’s budget surplus.

The Greens’ refusal to agree to allow the government a return to offshore processing is putting next year’s $1.5 billion budget surplus in jeopardy.

With the number of asylum seeker arrivals far exceeding that predicted in the May budget, now already at almost 900 arrivals a month, the government may need to revise its mid-year budget forecasts. Since the budget was made public, 2978 asylum seekers have arrived.

The government had predicted 450 arrivals per month in the forward estimates released in May, at a total cost of $1.1 billion to the Australian taxpayer.

As of last night, resolution to the asylum seeker problem appeared even more unlikely with Mr Abbott formally refusing to participate in Julia Gillard’s special committee set up to find a solution to the on-going crisis.

With bipartisan procrastination showing no end, this stream of human misery is set to continue, with thousands set to risk life and limb on the high seas in their quest to seek a better life.

The Shame in Australia’s Military

Posted by George Brown on 10/07/2012
Posted in: News. 2 Comments

An executive summary of a government-initiated review into Defence abuse was released yesterday, where more than 770 people claimed to have been assaulted or sexually assaulted whilst serving in Australia’s military.

The summary of the review conducted by law firm DLA Piper was released following a freedom of information request by the ABC.

The report states “it is certain” that many boys, young men and young women were subjected to serious physical and sexual assault while they were in the ADF from the 1950s “at least into the 21st century”.

Previous report findings and Defence files indicate very little evidence perpetrators had been called to account.

The document states that “there is a risk that those perpetrators now hold middle and senior management position within the ADF and there is a risk that those that witnessed abuse and did not report what they witnessed now hold middle and senior management positions within the ADF”.

The report includes allegations from 775 people. It suggests the overwhelming majority are “plausible allegations of abuse”.

The Government hadn’t ruled out a Royal Commission to prove it is serious about tackling the issue.

The Government launched the review following the “ADFA Skype scandal” in April 2011 when footage of a male cadet engaging in consensual sex with a female cadet was streamed via Skype without her knowledge to a group of cadets in another room.

This author served in Australian Army in the early 1970s and was subjected to minor but frequent episodes of “bastardisation” whilst engaged in basic training in 1974 at 1RTB at Kapooka, near Wagga Wagga. This behaviour was considered appropriate by NCO trainers as an effective way correct perceived breaches of behaviour, or to “encourage” slower learners to get up to speed, or to modify actions of an individual to a perceived norm. It was an established part of military culture. Complaints always fell on deaf ears, and complainants were often intimidated by those they complained to, and often the subject of further bastardisation. It was impossible to complain those who are actually carrying out the abuse, as was the case in this author’s experience.

These incidents were only revealed following a military police investigation into the simultaneous AWOL of four of the platoon members as a direct result of the bastardisation they had suffered. The subsequent investigation revealed an entrenched and systemic level of inappropriate behaviour and assault engaged in by the platoon staff. This ultimately resulted in the dismissal (disappearance) of two junior NCOs and the redeployment of the platoon commander and platoon sergeant. It is considered that this behaviour was not limited to this one platoon, but was entrenched across the entire unit.

Four decades later it appears that nothing has changed. The miltary has a clear track record of covering up serious alleagations of assualt, and indeed viewed “bastardisation” as an acceptable incentive to assist in the “correction” of young soldiers. There was a code of silence then, and it is clear that there is still a code of silence now.

More on the Assange Saga!

Posted by George Brown on 10/07/2012
Posted in: Views. 1 Comment

A letter signed by “prominent” US figures in support of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s application for political asylum in Ecuador has been delivered to the country’s London embassy.

Among those who signed the letter were Michael Moore, Oliver Stone, Noam Chomsky and Danny Glover.

Other signatories included the author Naomi Wolf, comedian Bill Maher and Daniel Ellsberg, a former US military analyst then whistleblower, who leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971 and who has been a long-standing supporter of Assange.

The latter was delivered to the Ecuadoran embassy by Robert Naiman, policy director at the Just Foreign Policy campaign group on Monday, along with a petition signed by more than four thousand Americans urging President Rafael Correa to approve Assange’s request for political asylum.

The Australian national entered Ecuador’s embassy last week in the latest dramatic twist in his fight to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over alleged sex offences.

See the entire letter here

This author continues to watch this on-going debacle with amusement.

Assange awaits Ecuadorian Presidential Decision

Posted by George Brown on 07/07/2012
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A week after entering the Ecuadorian embassy in London, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has said he is prepared to go to Sweden for questioning in a sexual assault case – but only if he is guaranteed that he won’t be extradited to the United States.

The Australian-born whistleblower made a bid for freedom last week, when he arrived at the Ecuadorian embassy and asked for political asylum. This request is now being considered by that country’s president, and the ambassador has been recalled for consultation as well.

Assange and his supporters believe that once he arrives in Sweden, he will be extradited to the United States. It is widely believed that Washington wants to pursue him for revealing sensitive information about US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thousands of leaked diplomatic cables have put the US in an uncomfortable position with its allies and partners worldwide.

Assange said that “if the US were to guarantee that it would drop the grand jury investigation and any further investigation of WikiLeaks’ publishing activity, that would be an important guarantee… diplomatic commitments do have some weight.”

Ecuador says Assange will remain under its protection until a decision is made about his asylum application. However, Assange faces arrest for breaching the terms of his bail if he leaves the Ecuadorian Embassy.