Carbon Tax, ETS or an ETR...

It is great to see the possiblility at last of some action on global warming. While a carbon tax or an ETS is a first step, an appropriately designed ETR offers several distinct advantages over a Carbon Tax or an ETS. Firstly, like a carbon tax, ETR would provide price certainty for business, industry and householders. Furthermore, funds raised by the ETR could be directed towards the research and further development of renewable energy technology as well as the deployment on a commercial scale of renewable energy technology options already available. Secondly, important environmental benefits as well as economic benefits and efficiencies are gained which can be harnessed - but it will take bi-partisan support from governments at all levels to really get the show on the road.

I have now finished my Executive Summary and started work on the final assignment for another subject - which only leaves the exams in June...can't wait to get back to golf, and weaving, and knitting, and taking photographs, and going bushwalking, and even slipping in a little reading and writing, and pulling the poetry collection together, and the calendar as well...mmm do I have to start making choices...not yet...not till the exams are over:):)

Peacock photograph was taken in Tasmania and the poppy field was taken in Italy:):)

Carbon Tax debate, BP drilling plans, study and....

Hi there

Excciting things - well possible exciting things are about to happen as the carbon tax debate is about to explode with the new ad campaign happening this week. The campaign features Cate Blanchett amongst others so there is hope that we will finally start to get some action happening to tackle global warming....

As I was checking the news out yesterday (I know I was supposed to be studying) anyway I saw this story - its a worry when a company like BP which has already caused so much havoc is still allowed to run riot with our environment....maybe more of us that disagree with what is happening need to go into politics...the link is  http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/28/3229630.htm

 
Speaking of study - well I have nearly finished the Executive summary for the group project, its out with the other team members now to make sure they are happy with what I have said...then its finished...yeahh:) I have also finished (all bar the final edit check) a Major English essay, then there is just the exam.... so almost there.  I have been checking out some of the other blogs around the blogosphere and let me tell you there are some pretty amazing sites out there - its such a creative space and place:):)

Making progress:):)

We are making progress on the final assignments this week which means I have plenty of time to study for my exams in June...only a couple of more weeks to go and then life will change in a big way...new routines, new study...oh did I not mention it?. Well I am going to be still studying next semester, as I want to do a Grad.Dip Arts Research...it sounds like a really interesting course and it equates to one subject a semester...how can I go wrong with that...well let's wait and see shall we:):) I just love clouds...

Roses, roses, roses (I am supposed to be studying...)

I couldn't resist it yesterday - I finished as assignment and uploaded it into the uni system and just felt like doing something different for a change. 

Anway, I picked a lovely rosebud the day before, and because it was so creamy with a raspberry coloured edge, I could not resist taking some photos.

Hope you like them:):) Today we are working on a major english essay - so when I finish the blog and take Dougal doggie for a walk I am back in the study again:):) mmmm...maybe there are more tempting flowers, birds, butterflies and animals to take photos off...gotta do my bit....

cya:)

Volcanos, the Kenedy's and study...

Another powerful volcano has erupted in Iceland but it is not the same volcano that erupted last year and disrupted life in the EU.  It looks like there is a possibility that there will be some smoke and ash around later this week and I am glad I have no plans to fly anywhere. I find it interesting that we think we can control the world and I keep thinking (and saying) that nature is not a silent partner in all we are doing on this planet...link to the newstory is below...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/22/3223393.htm



I have always been fascinated by the Kennedy family and I do think Jackie Kennedy was beautiful.  I was looking at the ABC news site yesterday when I came across this story.  As I dont get televesion here I will have to wait until the dvd is released:

The Kennedys | ABC Television
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/thekennedys.htmhttp://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/22/3223393.htm
The Kennedy's is one of the most controversial and compelling mini-series of the year. The series stars Greg Kinnear as John F Kennedy, Katie Holmes as Jackie Kennedy, Tom Wilkinson as patriarch Joe Kennedy Jnr and Barry Pepper as Bobby Kennedy. It's the epic story of an epic family that lived a very public life through triumph and tragedy. We see the dominant role that Joe Snr played in the family, and the loyalty of sons Jack and Bobby. Trace JFK's growth from an inexperienced mishandler of events to a statesman and world leader, through crises like the Bay of Pigs, civil rights, the Berlin wall and the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Well I have finished the follow up essay to the presentation and hope to submit it later today. That only leaves two major papers left, a blog assignment and an exam....yeahhh...I took the photos below last time I was in England. I just love bluebells and blue Irisis.

Its so lovely outside but...

Dougal and I are in jail - well in the study anyway - as I now have enough information to start the Executive Summary of the group project... this is what I have put so far...

Environmental tax reform (ETR) is reform of the national tax system which involves taxing activities involving resource use or emissions instead of the more traditional tax bases associated with areas like labour costs. The tax system can be a potent device for influencing behaviour. In addition to its revenue raising and redistributive functions, the tax system may be used to encourage activities that are socially and environmentally useful and to discourage activities that are not.[1] so may be tax reform does have its place:):)

---

[1] Ecological Tax Reform in Australia Using taxes, charges and public spending to protect the environment without hurting the eonomyhttps://www.tai.org.au/documents/downloads/DP1

Just a few photos to remind me that I will be writing and painting soon:):)

cya

Free falling planets?...writing and study:)

As I finish my studies I am getting ready to start writing and getting that writing published.  I have been reading about 'real' writers who are struggling and trying to get published in Australia.  I was thinking that by putting my poetry collection together I too will enter the field of 'trial by rejection'. I would like to score a goal or two, but my first best biggest hope is to get thrown the ball in the first place.:):) The thought that keeps me interested is that a number of our great writers (not that I am in that mould) too have been involved in a really rugged game of on a wet and sloppy field.

I really love the Science section on the ABC website. There is a great story about scientists finding that there are planets that freely move around the universe.  The link is below for you to have a look. The picture under the link is also from that story. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/19/3221409.htm?section=justin 

 I find these pictures so inspiring and I can't wait to start painting again:):)

Off to uni today - I enjoy the Friday tutes but when I get home I will be seriously banging away on the typewriter on my final essay for another english subject.  Only three more weeks left to go before exams:):) yeah!!!

I also love how different colours inspire the emotions:):)

Presentation today:):)

I am doing a presentation to day on Avoiding Mr Right by Anita Heiss.  We were lucky enough to have Anita Heiss do yesterday's lecture at Wollongong, although, as we are at one of the Far South Campuses, the lecture wasn't sent to us by video conference and we had the usual audio lecture set-up only.  While that was disappointing, the lecture wasn't. It was great to hear an author talk about their book and some of the processes that writers have in place to ensure that their research is ethically based.  If you get the chance - have a look at the book - its a good read - and I learned a lot:):)

I am now working on my environmental project and drawing together information from the team members to write the Executive Summary:):) As students we are lucky or unlucky enough (depending on your point of view) to see some of the hyperbole play out around the climate change debate.

Wish me luck with my presentation this morning:):)

I love how every image can tell its own story:):)

Judgements on women and their clothing, stereotypes, and uni:):)

I have always been interested in women's fashion and the conversation around gendered stereotypes of women ie madonna/whore and how these are used in the media.  There is a great conversation going on at the ABC blog website - the link is below on exactly that topic. Have a look and get involved, it is about taking away the judgements made against a woman because of what she wears:):) http://web.overland.org.au/2011/05/strutting-the-slut/ Strutting the slut Written by Trish Bolton on 17-05-2011

Well, I have made progress now on three of my final assignments. I am about 3/4rs of the way through my ENGL assignment on Australia Fair and notions of dominant narratives, and what is meant by the term Australia Fair...hopefully I will know what it all means by the end of my essay:):) I like the idea that I am writing my knowledge as I go...



Working on images to photos - you know - I had a random idea yesterday that I would actually like to write some poems around some of the photos I have taken....yet more plans when the study is finished:):)

cya:):)

the giant 'sleeper'...poetry and images

University lecturers and tutors will be heartened to hear that students do actually learn from their time studying and form their opinions based on that learning.  Over the past couple of weeks in my environmental class we have touched briefly on sustainable agriculture, housing, and PEAK OIL.  I understand totally that greenhouse gas emissions have to go down...but did you know that a giant 'sleeper' is about to wake up and hit us for a six.  Apparently the International Energy Agency has revised its findings about peak oil dramatically over the last couple of years, which was followed up recently on the ABC show Catalyst.  The link is below and I have to say that it is worth tuning into:):)

Real Oil Crisis

 (24/11/2005)

What would happen if the world were to start running out of oil? Conventional wisdom says we’ve got 30 years, but there’s a growing fear amongst petroleum experts it’s happening much sooner than we thought – that we are hitting the beginning of the end of oil now. So how soon will the oil run out, and can we stop our economy collapsing when it does? How prepared are we for the real oil crisis?

http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s1515141.htm 

the image is also from the story:)

I am going to try and match more of my photographs with the poems with images - so what do you thing about these:)

Woman's Song

A woman's strength is her love

that she uses to nurture.

Her serenity is the

mystery

That from the dawn of time.

Reaches into the

Future.

As she sings a timeless

song

Her love envelops

All.

A woman's spirit in

time

with rhythms of

the

Earth grows

and sustains.

A woman's voice reaches

down

through generations

is heard

by future

children.

Who reach back, and

then have

their faces

to the future,

knowing love

as a constant. ©

The wonders of the Art World...

The wonders of the art world, and I am not talking about that world of galleries and critics that is normally conjured up when you think of those words.  I am thinking about all of the creative people out there who are producing great art, and writers who are producing wonderful texts, and musicians who are gifitng us with wonderful music, and performers who show us their world through their bodies.  My wish to for today is that instead of spending $25.4b in Australia on Defence, how about we put a little part of that funding towards the arts so that people, young and old, can get out there and make and enjoy art...don't expect it will come true but its nice to have hope and who knows where that hope might end up living:):)

I am going to start matching images and poems soon, but I thought that as I have a few minutes before I leave for uni, I could try with this poem:):)

Waves

I walk along the

     empty beach

          catching the rhythm, as

             waves gently

                swirl

                    ashore

The breeze moves

      through my hair, refreshes

          my tired soul

              as I reach

                   into my dreams

Waves

     flow in

         on the sand

            hard beneath my feet

                 but I feel them flow

                        through my mind, feel the wind

An enveloping peace as I

      walk along, my body slows to

             the ancient rhythm of the waves

                   floats in time, timeless

                          serenity reaches out

                            and gathers me up. ã

What do you thinK?....

We're back.....ongoing carbon tax, space, weddings, study....poetry

Unfortunately it seems that renewable energy did not do very well in the budget and the carbon tax seems to be on the back burner as a news story.  In fact the news I woke up to this morning was all about whether Julia Gillard might be getting married...I love weddings, but this news took priority over the news that there has now been 3 people die in the clean up at the the Fukoshima nuclear power plant - which seems to be still an unmitigated disaster. Ah well who am I to wonder about these things, if it is in the media it must be right, yes! ??

There is a great post on the ABC Science website (link below) about the moons of Jupiter.  Aparently, scientitis are able now to devise ways of measuring the size of the lava ocean on Io.  I love the astronomy space:):) "...The Jovian moon Io has a massive molten lava global ocean below the surface(Source: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona/Galileo mission) Liquid centre Scientists say a global magma ocean lies just under the thin volcano and lava covered crust of the Jovian moon Io. Io is the most volcanic place in the solar system, constantly torn by gravitational tidal forces from Jupiter generating enough heat through friction to melt the moon's interior. The extent of this melting has been a long-standing subject of debate." http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2011/05/13/3215347.htm

I am now in the process of writing my last three assignments.  I am waiting for information from the tutor about one of the assignments, another is a group project and I am waiting on more information from team members to write the executive summary, and the last one has involved a lot of research which I really enjoy - so now I have to bring it all together and start writing it today.  So we are making progress.  Once these are finished I just have an exam on June 16th left:):):) and then its parrrrrty time!  Dougal has gotten very used to sharing the chair though and I am used to having him snuggled up behind me.  Life can be very good in strange ways. 

I am definitely getting closer to having the poetry collection finished by July and ready to publish, I am looking forward to matching the poems with images that will involve photography, paintings and sketches....woops must go now, I have to do a few chores and then start writing that English essasy:):):)

 

Study is taking over for awhile:)

I know, I keep blogging about study - but it is a fact of my life at the moment...but I keep in mind the many creative activities I am going to be involved when I am finished in June.  Painting, poetry, photography, weaving,...ahh the list goes on (sigh).  But then you know, that uni assignments are also creative products, yes there are rules and boundaries that have to be negotiated but it is still your creative brain thought that makes the difference....so creative can be just anywhere:):)

Dougal and I are sharing the chair again and this morning, I have to work hard and complete an essay plan...at least I now have that magic secondary source document - need 3 to 4 in this assignment and I will just make it:):)

Olga at Revedoa

Olga at Revedoa: "Hi, look at this fantastic cube on the What Makes Me website..."

Federal Budget, Defence Spending, the budget and more study:)

This year's budget is not looking pretty and it is all about marketing as Gillard and Swan spruke about some of the various policies that will be introduced. What caught my eye was this news story from the ABC website about Federal Govt plans to cut 1,000 civilian jobs from the Defence Department over three years.  What I would like to know is what areas the job cuts will cover.  From memory the Defence Budget is worth approx $25b so really, why cut 1,000 jobs over three years to save $300m? The link to the story is at  http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/06/3209255.htm?section=justin

The sun is shining and the weeds are calling, and I haven't been shopping for ages...but no, I will be in the study this afternoon with my trusty companion Dougal.... hope you have a great day too.  Now it is not all bad, I am receiving regular information about the fashion shows in Sydney this week - I love fashion, even older ladies like to keep up to date without looking like 'try-hards'

Can't wait to start taking more photos:):)

cya

Focassing on the environment, limits to growth, study...

I am focussing on the environment again today - this time, from the perspective of limits to growth.  The ABC has a couple of interesting stories about looming food shortages. which at this time, are a potentially BIG problem.  I say potentially because we still have time to do something about fixing how we go about using our land.  Do we really want to suck up all of the prime agricultural land in mining and growing biofuel crops...just to maintain and unmaintainable lifestyle? Article and photo below are from the ABC Website...

Food crisis looms, warn scientists

By Stuart Gary for ABC Science Online

Updated Fri Feb 12, 2010 2:44pm AEDT

Food production needs to be increased at unprecedented rates if we are to keep the world fed (ABC News: Brad Markham). A new report by Australian researchers claims far more needs to be done if we are to feed the estimated 9 billion people who will be living on the planet by 2050. The link is at http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/12/2817956.htm

I have now completed about 25% of one of the major assignments - this one is due first - and I love how you can assign percentages like that...as yes, I will type another 700 words which will bring me up to 50% (total word count is 3,500)...so off to uni this morning and then - and then I am meeting Andrew at one of the local nurseries to choose spring flowers, and then - and then home to occupy the study.  Poor Andrew, he now has to wait until I am out of the house to access the computer.  This morning as I type, Dougal dog is allowing me to share the edge of the seat, so he is a warm presence behind my back, and I am perched on the very edge.  Guess I am getting used to that now but the comfort factor doesn't change:)  I took the photos below on our trip last year to England:):)

The budgets, the environment and study study study...

The state budgets are being brought down this week, although support for some sort of environmental focus in the budget is waning.  An ABC news story states that "The Federal Government is still struggling to convince voters of the merits of its proposed carbon tax, according to the latest Newspoll." The link to the story is:http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/04/3207006.htm?section=business Now whether we support a carbon tax or not, unless we start seriously considering ways of cutting greenhouse gas emissions soon, very soon, then the job just becomes that much harder....as the photo below taken from the ABC website also shows us...

I made a good start to one of my final papers yesterday, and hope to continue this afternoon when I get home from uni...Andrew who has only been back a couple of days, now asks, when can he use the computer and we have had to institute a booking schedule...maybe I do need a lap top:):)  the photo below is one I took as we were arriving in Melbourne from Tasmania on the Ferry....

Next round of assignments...rainy days...

I have now started on the next round of assignments and have found out the times etc for the exams so I am feeling a little organised...that is till I start looking at what I have to do... we are in week 9 and only till week 14 to go - so time will pass quickly and I only have to hang in till then...then...it is party time bigtime. 

We are in the midst of a rainy cycle - we had 9mls last night, so not enough to flood us in or anything, my only grievance is that I have three loads of washing that Andrew brought home with him to try and dry...maybe the study is not such a bad place to be after all....

Because there has been no time for creative pursuits I am reaching back into my poetry collection which I am hoping to organise soon...I would like to be able to match my poems with some photos...can't wait to start:)

Journey

As I watch the crashing waves against the golden sand

my thoughts turn inwards, to the rolling and crashing

of memories and emotions jumbled in a whirlpool waterfall

Down... down in the deep dark abyss I have been

submerged in the depths and almost drowning

in an emotional waste-land, I gasped for sanity

For me, time became an ephemeral dream

so unaware of the reality of life

it passed me by, while I floated in a fathomless vortex

Abruptly, violently...reality and I rejoined

to meet together and slowly begin the long journeyup,

painfully, impatiently, the surface beckoning

Sunlight glimpsed in tiny shards, ever showing the way

reason growing, the fear became a knowing

was I changed, am I me, emergence as deep as the journey©

Andrew is back:):)

Andrew is now home, Dougal and I collected him from the airport yesterday....although now tired he is happy to be home after a great visit to family in the UK.

The Royal wedding has come and gone and there are now the usual analysis and critiques taking place...me I tuned in to youtube to see about 5 minutes which was great - I loved the dress, the wedding cake and how the crowd cheered...its always nice to have cause for a celebration:):)

Dougal and I spent the last three days working hard and finalising three assignments which have all been submitted.  Now I am in the planning phases for the last three assignments and then studying for an exam...but only 5 weeks to go, I can't believe how quickly time is passing:):)