Not Another Epidemiologist on My Screen
The global pandemic has exhausted me, and I suspect I am not alone on this score. If I see another daily press conference featuring a Premier or PM I just might scream. If I was not so dead set against guns and violence, I might just do something desperate. Perhaps I could adapt the concept to my principles and attack a bush with a water pistol or something equally insane. Please oh please not another epidemiologist on my screen, as much as they are doing fine work for the community I must look away.Continue Reading
First Home Buyers: Is There Still Hope, Or Is Hope Dead?
If one casts one’s gaze back to the beginnings of the modern European and western conception of the value of human life you soon bump into the notion of property. Human beings have sought to own property wherever possible and free themselves from slavery and servitude upon this basis. John Locke famously proposed his theory of property rights as a fundamental right of control. Private property rights were the main beef for Locke, and this has come down to us to this day. In Australia, we have etched this as the Great Australian Dream of home ownership. First Home Buyers: Is There Still Hope, Or Is Hope Dead?Continue Reading
Transplanted Democracy Uprooted in Afghanistan by the Taliban
Any gardener will tell you that if you prune back a plant it will regrow with added vigour. The Taliban in Afghanistan has come back powerfully after 20 years of pruning by the US and coalition forces. Remember that pre-invasion by the US the Taliban did not control all ofContinue Reading
Will Covid Sars-2 Prove to Be Our Dinosaur Extinction Moment?
As I sit here heading into another Covid lockdown, this time from the Delta variant, I ponder about our future. Will Covid Sars-2 prove to be our dinosaur extinction moment? Will the Homo sapien’s story end here at the hands of a virus. Perhaps a virus engineered in a laboratory in Wuhan, China, which was funded by American corporate interests. It all sounds like a scenario drawn from the pages of an airport bookstore thriller. However, over 4 million people have lost their lives from this pandemic and deaths are not slowing up anytime soon.Continue Reading
Microbiome and Humans
‘Microbiome’ – Micro meaning very small – Bio meaning life – Me meaning you or me. Remember this term because it is going to become better recognised as an important factor in human health and our longevity. Human microbiome is defined as the collection of genes found in all microbes residing within us – basically all the bacteria, fungi, viruses, and microorganisms inhabiting our bodies. ‘Microbiota’, another term, refers to all microorganisms inhabiting a particular environment like the gut. There are many trillions of these microscopic entities residing in our human gastrointestinal tract, on our skin, and most places. Long have we ignored this micro-environment and rather focused on larger, more readily seen matters, possibly to the detriment of our health and understanding of life. Remember that microbes have been around for a lot longer than we have (billions of years) and are easily the most successful life forms on this planet. In the current climate, with a global viral pandemic ravaging the world, we are all suddenly more aware of the micro-realm. Indeed, our awareness of microbiome greatly increased around 2002, when gene sequencing technology became available to identify microbes and their influence. Following this there has been a huge explosion in the study of microbiome and humans.Continue Reading
Cape York by 4WD Tag-Along Group Tour is a Wonder
It seems to be a modern phenomenon the 4WD adventure holiday. Man vs terrain or vehicle vs terrain to be exact. Driving skills are important of course in this equation too. The powerful 4WD vehicle testing its mettle upon the rough and treacherous terrain explicitly present in outback Australia. Who will ultimately win out in the end? Cape York is the perfect scenario for one of these winner takes all the glory situations. In fact, the Cape York by 4WD tag-along group tour is a wonder for aficionados of these kinds of pursuits.Continue Reading
Wisdom Teeth Removal: Are There Any Alternatives?
The getting of wisdom traditionally comes with pain. No pain no gain. This is why we call these third molars wisdom teeth. A third set of teeth that come through around the age of 20. For the lucky few these four molars can be a useful asset but for manyContinue Reading
The Media as Greek Chorus of the Modern World
The Greek Chorus, for those who don’t know, was a device employed in traditional Greek theatre and defined as “the chorus in Classical Greek drama was a group of actors who described and commented upon the main action of a play with song, dance, and recitation.” That seems pretty close to what we find the media doing in today’s world. Stories are ramped up, endlessly repeated, drilled down into, and brought to the attention of the consumer of news and media. Editors and producers direct journalists toward issues and stories that have the potential to engage the interest of the viewer and reader. The more salacious a story or event may be the greater the public’s appetite for it. The media as Greek chorus of the modern world seems a good fit in more ways than one.Continue Reading
Human Beings: How Stupid Are We?
Much of what we read about ourselves, as a species and collection of civilisations, praises our advanced qualities. However, if an intelligent alien were to evaluate our recorded history questions would be raised and another kind of judgement handed down. Human beings how stupid are we? Consider a few examples and see what conclusion you would come to yourself. Homo sapiens will be the representatives under the microscope for team Human in this examination. There can be no denying that our technological advancement is impressive in planet earth terms. The human species has crafted a host of labour-saving devices and communication networks to be justly proud of over the last millennia. How we treat each other and the different species we share this planet with is another story all together.Continue Reading
Trying To Understand AFL Footy
Funnily enough I am not a new Australian. I am not a mere visitor to these shores. I have lived and breathed the blessed air of this great southern land since Molly Meldrum was straight and Kent had it all together. Despite my many years wracked up on both the west and east coast of this island nation I still have a few head scratching moments. Trying to understand AFL footy is one of them when it comes to goal kicking players and why they take out their mouthguards and stuff them in their jocks or socks. How does a mouthguard impact upon the process of walking in and kicking at the goals? Could you get anything more unhygienic than placing an oral protective guard in a dirty sock or sweaty pair of underpants and then popping back in your gob?Continue Reading