Boy on a Whale

Fourteeen year old Sam Matheson from Western Australia is a typical teenager. He swam out to a 14m whale, stroked it and then climbed on its back. Now the teenager says he just wanted a closer look but admits that he made a mistake. He didn't realize just how passionate people are about whales.

"I was down at the beach with my mate Shayden. The whale was right there, only 15m from the rocks. I wanted to take a closer look. I swam out to it and put my arms around it, sort of laid against it for about 30 seconds, I was out of the water from the waist up. It had a leather texture, really soft and it didn't even notice me until I laid on it, then it lifted up its tail and went under and pulled me down a bit, but I was fine and swam back to the rocks."

The problem started when someone on the beach saw Sam on the whale's back, took a photo and went to the authorities. Since then, some of the people in town are furious with Sam and want to make a example of him. His mother came to his rescue. "He's grown up around the ocean, he loves surfing, fishing and diving. Sam would never even keep an undersize fish let alone harm a whale. He's been taught to care for the ocean.

Officers interviewed Sam who was remorseful and he was let off with a warning. Harrassing protected species is an offence and the exclusion zone around whales is 100m for boats, surfers and people in kayaks.

Highest IQ in the World

Kim Ung-Yong was born on the 8th March 1962 in South Korea and has the higest IQ in the world, estimated at around 210. Shortly after birth, he displayed remarkable intellectual ability - he began speaking at 4 months, could talk fluently at 6 months, and by is second birthday, could read Japanese, German and English. At the age of 4 he solved a calculus problem on Japanese television. In early childhood, he began writing poetry and was a brilliant painter.

Kim was a guest student of physics at Hanyang University auditing courses from the age of 4 until he was 7. In 1970 at the age of 8 he was invited to the US by NASA and received a Ph.D in physics at Colorado University. In 1974 during his university studies, he began his research work at NASA and continued this work until he returned to Korea in 1978.

When he got home to Korea, he decided to switch from physics to civil engineering and eventually received a doctorate in that field. He has published about 90 papers on hydraulics in scientific journals and he also serves as adjunct faculty at Chungbuk National University.

But it hasn't all been plain sailing for this intelligent man. The 48 year old was hurt when the Korean media denounced him as a "failed genius" because he chose an "ordinary" job - in the business and planning department at Chungbuk Development Corporation. "People expected me to become a high-ranking government official or CEO of a big company, but my life is not a failure and I am happy."

While working in America with NASA he describes his life there as "the lonely years". He said "At that time, I lived my life like a machine, I woke up, solved the daily assigned equation, ate, slept, etc. I really didn't know what I was doing and I had no friends".

When he came home to Korea, the media wouldn't leave him alone. "I was sick and tired of being the centre of attention, like a monkey in the zoo". But he didn't have the required qualifications to get a job, he needed elementary, middle and high school diplomas. "Since I had no official diploma, I had to start over again from scratch". It took him about a year to get his elementary and middle school diplomas and the high school diploma the following year. Then he chose to attend a university with students his own age but somewhere out of Seoul where he would be less conspicuous.

Kim says that people attach too much importance on IQ. "Some people believe that those with a high IQ are omnipotent but it's not true. Look at me, I don't have musical talent and don't excel at sports. If there is a long spectrum of categories with many different talents, I would only be part of that spectrum. I'm just good at concentrating on one thing, and there are many others who have different talents". He added "Everyone has different learning levels, hopes, talents and dreams."

And he also has the added talent of humility.

Zahra Baker - Little Girl Lost in America

Little Australian girl Zahra Baker is missing in America. The nine year old suffers hearing loss and had a lower leg amputated after a bout of cancer. She was born in Australia but moved to America after her father Adam Baker met a woman on the internet two years ago.

Last Friday in North Carolina, police found a mattress in a garbage dump they believe belonged to Zahra and are hoping DNA testing will provide crucial evidence in the case. Zahra's parents disposed of the mattress a few days before they reported her missing.

Now police have found a prosthetic leg but because it was fitted in Australia, it will take time to confirm whether it belongs to Zahra. Police need the model and serial number for identification. Eliza Baker, Zahra's stepmother, has been helping police since last Sunday and joined the search near a home she lived in three years ago. According to local media, the leg was found near that area.

Zarah's stepmother has been charged with obstructing justice after she admitted writing a fake $1 million ransom note. She is also under investigation amid claims that she abused the little girl. Search teams are back at the family home in Hickory looking for more evidence and are using dogs, backhoes and shovels. DNA testing is still being performed on the mattress.

Zahra's father Adam Baker, a former Queensland sugar mill worker was arrested on Monday for writing worthless cheques, two counts of communicating threats and one count of assault with a deadly weapon. However these charges are not connected to Zahra's disappearance.

In cases like this, it makes you aware of just how vulnerable little children are regarding their parents' love interests. They have no choice but to tag along with whoever their parent decides to shack up with. There now appears to be little hope that Sahra will be found alive.

Edit 23 August 2013:  In September 2011, the victim's stepmother Elisa Baker pleaded guilty to murdering Zahra and was sentenced to 18 years.  In 2013, she was given an additional 10 years for drug related charges.

Australian Soldiers Returning Home from Afghanistan

Bill Shorten

Bill Shorten, Assistant Treasurer, is well connected, he's the son-in-law of the Governor General, Ms Quentin Bryce. Yesterday during the parliamentary debate on the Afghanistan war, he made the point that the Defence Force must be prepared for diggers returning home with psychological disorders.

He said there is much high-blown rhetoric about support for our troops and the troops believe it. While funerals for diggers killed in action are receiving high profile attention, soldiers returning with wounds require special care and that includes those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

He said "So far, 156 of our best and bravest have been physically wounded in Afghanistan but this figure doesn't include psyschological wounds".

"We need to look after them and their family. On a daily, unrelenting basis, the trauma, pain and adjustment for family and friends of an IED (roadside bomb) amputee is huge" he added. Let's hope that high-blown rhetoric about support really counts for something when these soldiers need it most.

When The Rains Came

Craig Johnston from West Wyalong is a happy man. With the worst dry spell on record, farmers will now be able to harvest a bumper crop and country towns will share the wealth. This year 750mm of rain has fallen on his parched land which was a dust bowl - 350mm above the average. "The last nine years have been tough but this year is looking great, the only thing is we are not there yet" he said. "If we get money in the bank, then this will be the best season I've ever had.

The rains have brought record prices for spring lambs - $230 in the salesyards - because there is more feed for stock. In the tiny community of West Wyalong, more than nine industries will be boosted by Craig Johnston's crop and sheep sales. Everyone from Landmark - who Craig employs to sell his stock - through to the auto-electrician who will benefit indirectly from the truck driver who carts the stock.

But all this good news depends on whether he can harvest his crop and there is no guarantee that he will. There is currently a locust plague - the worst in thirty years - a mice plague, and the threat of wet weather could all ruin his crop. Anxious farmers across NSW are holding their breath waiting to harvest a $2.85 billion winter crop.

GM Scott Abottoirs Cootamundra CEO Len Jones said the national sheep crop had dropped from 170 million to 60 million in the past 7 years due to the drought. "For people on the land, it's been disastrous, so it's important to get our industry and agriculture back on track" he said.

Due to the positive outlook the abottoir will spend $7 million on an upgrade which means more employment opportunities. Dan Tulloch, the transport operator employed by Landmark to cart livestock to abottoirs said his work would pick up dramatically as farmers rebuilt animal numbers. That meant he would have money to spend on truck upgrades at businesses like the local auto-electrician.

It's not just agriculture or machinery businesses that benefit. Diane Kearins from Pat Kearins Menswear said she was expecting the best Christmas for 10 years. "When the farmers have money, so do their wives, who spend it in town" she said.

Who in their right mind would be a farmer? It must be in the blood. They deserve a medal.

How To Be Happy

Shawn Achor

Harvard University Lecturer Shawn Achor has written a book called "The Happiness Advantage". He says positive thinkers have a biological advantage over people who are neutral or negative. Here are some tips from his book.

Metitate - Research shows that regular meditation can permanently rewire the brain to raise levels of happiness, lower stress and even improve immune function.

Find something to look forward to - maybe a night out or weekend away or plan a holiday for the future. Anticipating future rewards can actually light up the pleasure centres in your brain.

Be kind - research shows that giving to others decreases stress and contributes to enhanced mental health.

Pictures - surround yourself with photos of people you love both at home and work.

Exercise - is not just a powerful mood lifter but also a long lasting one. Run, walk, ride, play, stretch, skip, jump, it doesn't matter, as long as you get moving.

Spending money - not on useless "stuff" but worthwhile experiences like a night out with friends or a concert or a live show. Spending money on friends and family also makes us happy.

Exercise your strengths - to learn what your top strengths are, take the test on http://www.viasurvey.org/. Pick one of your strengths and use it in a different way every day. Studies show that the more you use your signature strengths in daily life, the happier you will become.

I have done the survey and can recommend it - it not only makes you aware of how you think, it's good to see what your positive strengths are, something we all possess.

The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor is published by Virgin Books and out in November.

The Australian Greens

The Greens are emerging as a real alternative political party in Australia, instead of two major parties we now have three. It was the Greens who decided to have a debate about the Afghanistan war, they say the majority of Australians are against the war and I believe it. We want to be consulted before our government jumps in and commits our country to fight people we have no issue with, just because America thinks it's a good idea at the time. The same goes for euthanasia, both parties are afraid to touch the subject but the Greens want it put on the table. Then there's the banks who have been ripping us off for years and announcing bigger and bigger profits - the Greens want to put the hard word on them, something Labor and the Coalaition refuse to do. So you can't blame people for thinking that this party is a better alternative.

But there are Green policies I don't agree with, one being to let all asylum seekers in, give them immediate visas and sign them up for Centrelink benefits. So I will never vote for them.

In today's Herald Nielson poll, Labor's primary vote is down a considerable 4 percentage points, from 38 to 34 percent. It means Labor has lost the votes of about half a million people in two months since the election. Of those, half appear to have gone to the Greens. If it persists, it will destroy Labor permanently as a party able to govern in its own right and force it into permanent dependency - or perhaps a coalition - with the Greens.

I get the feeling Labor is struggling to survive and Tony Abbott has said the Coalition must be ready to govern at short notice. Will Labor merge with the Greens and form a Coalition? Interesting times in Canberra.

Matthew Appleby Disappearance

Matthew Appleby had no reason to disappear, the 16 year old came from a loving family, was a bright student and seemed mentally stable. "He was a quiet lad, he enjoyed school, he was a fit young fellow who enjoyed his rugby and there is absolutely nothing to go on and no sign of foul play" the police inspector said.

His backpack was found on Avoca Beach on Tuesday and contained fewer text books that Matthew would normally carry as well as his school shirt, but his lunch box and drink bottle were missing. Two days later, as his father walked up the beach once more, he found his boy's shoes about 100m from where his backpack was found.

Avoca is a beachside suburub on the central coast, about 100 kms north of Sydney. State Emergency Service volunteers scoured rocks around the area and found his discarded clothing and when his dad found his shoes, the police called off the search.

But Matthew was living a secret life, he'd been skipping school since August and Terrigal High School had been sending letters to his parents. But he managed to persuade them there was no cause for alarm because his absence from school hadn't been reflected in his marks. He was one of those kids who don't need to study, he could stay away from school for weeks and still excel at exams. He had his sight set on becoming a pilot. He skipped classes and went on all-day hikes around the central coast area.

Matthew was last seen last Monday when he walked his little brother to school at 8.30am and then he vanished. Police say they hold fears for his safety but don't believe his disappearance is suspicious. After his dad found the shoes, everyone thinks he went for a swim and drowned but his distraught family are still clinging to the hope that he may be found alive.

Footnote: Sadly, Matthew's body was found washed up on Forresters Beach nearly three weeks after he went missing. Police believe he died shortly after he dropped his little brother off at school on October 18 and that there is no evidence that Matthew was being bullied at school or had other issues.

Deadly Ambush in Afghanistan

Rob Maylor, former Australian SAS soldier and elite marksman has written a book 'SAS Sniper' to be released next week. It's the true story of front line action in Northern Ireland, Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. He tells the story of his years at the front lines, from his early service with the Royal Marines in Northern Ireland then from 2003 in the elite Australian SAS. As one of Australia's most highly trained and successful combat snipers, he saw action in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan where he won medals for gallantry in some of the heaviest fighting in the conflict.


In the book, he writes about a deadly ambush in Afghanistan and how the Dutch left them for dead. A combined Australian, American and Afghan patrol was ambushed by 150 Taliban when two attack helicopters arrived nearby. As the troops were pounded by enemy mortar, small arms and grenades near the village of Khaz Oruzgan, they thought they had been saved by the Apache helicopters.


The patrol's air-strike co-ordinator told the Dutch pilots by radio "We are in an absolute doozey of a shitfight - we need your assistance and we are taking casualties". But the pilots refused to drop under their safe height of 5000m, despite the fact Apaches are armour-plated and designed to operate under heavy fire at low altitude. "They wouldn't open up on the Taliban for fear they might draw some fire themselves" Maylor said who suffered serious shrapnel wounds during the battle.

"I honestly thought we wouldn't get out of there alive. If the bad guys had got any closer, it would have been all over for us". Another SAS soldier marked targets for the choppers using a machine gun to kick up dust clouds close to the enemy positions. But they still wouldn't engage. SG (air strike co-ordinator) had had enough so he told them "If you're not going to engage you may as well fuck off, cheers boys". And they did.

When the smoke cleared, one US soldier was dead and seven SAS soldiers and 2 engineers were badly wounded. Australian soldier Trooper Mark Donaldson, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in the battle when he rescued a wounded interpreter from the battlefield.

Eventually two F/A-18 Hornet jet fighters from a US aircraft carrier in the Arabian Gulf provided close air support in the form of two 551-pound (250 kilo) bombs and cannon fire.

Kings Cross Injecting Room, Sydney Australia

Reverend Harry Herbert

It looks like the controversial injecting room at Kings Cross will remain open. They now have 12,000 registered addicts on their books. The bill was passed this week with overwhelming support from both parties and will now move to the Senate where it's expected to get through with the help of the Greens.

Naturally, local business people are furious and say that Kings Cross will forever remain degraded by the injecting centre which is a "honeypot" for addicts. Local businessman Andrew Strauss has engaged lawyers to fight the decision. "It's unfair to residents, shopkeepers and school children who are forbidden to walk down Darlinghurst Road" he said.

NSW Liberal Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell voted against the bill saying it had failed to do what it promised - to try and get people off drugs. He thinks too much attention is paid to managing drug habits and not enough to "rescuing people from their terrible addiction". Opposition MPs were given a conscience vote, with seven voting in favour of letting it stay.

So who are the people running the show? Executive Director is Rev Harry Herbert, Minister of the Uniting Church in Australia. Graduate of Sydney, New South Wales, LaTrobe and Yale Universities. Former ministries Falls Village, Connecticut USA, Warrnambool, Victoria and Heidelberg Victoria. Their aim is to:

. reduce he morbidity and mortality associated with drug overdoses

. reduce the spread of HIV, hepatitis B and C

. steer them into rehabilitation

. reduce "public nuisance" of people injecting in streets, parks and discarded syringes

If you go into their website you will see that this centre is run by good people who are helping to keep addicts alive and well. If you are ever unlucky enough to have a child addicted to drugs, you'll be glad places like this are available. I hope the Senate pass the bill.

Parents Pimp 12 year old Daughter

Last year a Tasmanian mother pimped her 12 year old daughter and now Hobart Lawyer Roland Browne, who is working pro-bono, has launched an appeal to help her sue the Tasmanian government. The girl's mother and her partner John Devine sold her for sex to over 100 men when she was subject to a care and protection order, making the State her guardian. She intends to sue the state and others, including Human Services Department for failure of care.


Tasmanian Education Minister Lin Thorp has already admitted the state's protection system had failed the child. But in order to proceed with the case, the girl doesn't have money for psychiatric and medical reports necessary to prove the extent of her suffering which could cost around $10,000, hence the appeal for help.


After just one day, Mr Browne said the public appeal had received "fantastic and wonderful response". Any excess monies will be secured in a trust fund for her future. I wonder what punishment a judge would deem sufficient for a mother who exploited her child in this way. The mind boggles.



The mind boggles.

The Snobbery of Steak

You can see why a lot more people are learning to cook and eating at home because some restaurants are getting away with murder, their prices are way over the top. Would you pay $79 for a steak? Well that's how much it costs at a new eatery in The Rocks - The Cut Bar and Grill. Reviewer Terry Durack writes a report on the new steak house.

Chef James Privett grills all the meats over beechwood and charcoal before finishing them in an enclosed 650 degree broiler, a piece of equipment chefs are madly in love with. Judging by the 220 gram Sher Wagyu sirloin ($52) from a Wagyu-Holstein cross, it's very efficient, although the thinness of the cut makes it difficult to cook medium rare and still get a good crust.

The 500 gram Riverine 150 day T-bone ($52) comes excellently crusted and medium rare but with subdued flavour and tight meat. It makes me think the 500 gram Sher Wagyu T-bone ($79) would be the best bet.

Then comes along something rather wonderful, a standing rib roast on the bone, roasted for four hours, rested and residing on a silver and rosewood trolley. The beef is expertly carved at the table and presented simply with a ladelful of jus. A ruby red 200 gram slice ($36) is taken from the extremely rare centre and is a little difficult to chew, forcing me to nibble around the edges but I applaud the pomp, ceremony and commitment.

There is still a sense of ticking the boxes about The Cut. It's lovely to be in, with a luxurious, engaging, subterranian warmth and good-looking, try-hard staff. But if you are going to specialise in steak, the steak has to be amazing and I haven't yet been amazed. At the newest steakhouse in town, it's more a case of medium-to-well done than anything particularly rare.

Carl Williams Murder Enquiry

Carl Williams, aged 30 was a convicted murderer and drug trafficker from Victoria. He was the central figure in the Melbourne gangland killings and was portrayed by Gyton Grantley in the TV series Underbelly. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 35 years for ordering the murders of three people and conspiracy to murder a fourth which was unsuccessful. On a Sunday afternoon, reading the paper in the maximum security unit of Barwon Prison he was beaten to death by another inmate.

Now an investigation into his death has revealed that the prison guards who should have been watching television monitors, were playing indoor cricket.

A fellow prisoner has been charged with his murder. The attack was recorded on the cctv cameras but there were no guards to see it. He was then dragged to his cell where he was not noticed for 30 minutes. The Department of Justice yesterday declined to comment.

Carl Williams was killed on the same day that the Melbourne Herald Sun outed him as a possible police informer. Incredibly, Premier John Brumby didn't want an inquiry. He dismissed a Royal Commission as a waste of time and money and said "Although Williams' murder was obviously unacceptable, the victim was a serial killer. If I had the choice of putting tens of millions of dollars into an anti-corruption body or putting it into hospitals or bushfires, or more police, I'd choose the latter."

David Hicks - Australian Terrorist

It's hard to believe that one of your own could go over to the other side, but David Hicks did just that and has lived to tell the tale. He's written a book about his experiences "Guantanamo: My Journey" is out today. The book re-affirms his claims of innocence. "I have never been a supporter of terrorism" he writes, "I did not harm anyone - I have never attempted or planned to - nor was I accused of such." But to secure his release, he pleaded guilty to "providing material support for terrorism." So I can't work out if he was just a stupid kid, a misguided idealist or a menace to society.

From January 2002 until 2007 David Hicks was imprisoned at the Guantanamo Bay US Military Prison in Cuba. His cage was 3 steps wide x 3 steps long. There was no standing up, no touching the wire, no talking, no looking around. If you did, you would be paid a visit from the Instant Reaction Force (IRF) whose beatings were known as being "earthed".

Hicks was in Camp X-Ray for only four months and remembers the first prisoner he saw being "earthed" - he was an Afghan man with a prosthetic limb. A military policeman asked him why he had scratched "Osama will save us" onto the concrete of his cage's floor. The MP came back with 6 more MPs in riot gear. One pinned him to the floor with a shield while the others beat him. Then one came in with a German Shepherd and the dog was encouraged to bark and growl close to the man's face while he was being beaten. When they had finished they chained him up and carried him out - his face was covered in blood. Later, Hicks writes, an MP told him he had scratched "Osama will Save Us" on the concrete himself. It was a brutal set-up.

The book took Hicks 2 years to write. He married social justice advocate Aloysia Brooks and works at a native plant nursery in Sydney after Dick Smith persuaded the owner to give him a go. He's now a manager.

He talks about his conversion to Islam after serving with the Kosovo Liberation Army. In 1999 he went to the Middle East and spent some time at training camps linked to al-Qaeda. His obsession with Afghanistan continued and in 2001 after fighting for the Kashmiri cause for independence, he was captured and handed over to the Americans.

I was under the impression that we had a law that states no money can be made from the proceeds of crime but a spokesman for the CDPP yesterday could not confirm or deny if this will apply to David Hicks and his book.

Murray Darling Basin Fear Sets In

The stress is starting to show on their faces. People of the Riverina are furious - the proposed water cuts for this region are around 43%. Many people are already in hock to the banks and are frightened for their future - they don't see one. Around 5,000 farmers, business opertors, civic leaders and members of the community gathered at the Yoogali Club yesterday morning in Griffith.

But the people from the Murray Darling Authority didn't give them the answers they wanted and at one point a farmer threw a fake horse's head at Mike Taylor, spokesman for the Authority. He yelled that the water cuts would force his family off the land. Then some men set about burning box after box of copies of the Authority's Guide. This is truly bizarre behaviour for conservative farmers.

The meeting ended with a motion from the floor that Mike Taylor return to Canberra and demand that Water Act 2007 be revisited and reviewed immediately with sensible and positive outcomes for food producers and regional areas. The motion was passed with strong vocal support.

It wasn't any better in Shepparton. One woman, Alison Couston had a noose around her neck. "I have a noose around my neck, I really have" she said "This is where we are heading, it's like someone holding a gun to your head."

Kevin Sutton from Stanhope said "We cannot have this region close down because of some smart decisions made by a group who have not been given any authority by the people of the region" he said. The debacle continues.

The Murray Darling Basin

It's either a famine or a feast in this country. One minute there's no water and everyone is suffering from terrible droughts, then it pours and there's water everywhere and dams are full. The Murray Darling basin has been suffering for years from greed and lack of proper management and now it's time to fix it once and for all. It's a huge area, it covers parts of Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria and South Australia. As you can see, it runs through many states who are notorious for never being able to agree on anything. Most people don't know, or don't care, that it is by far the most important agricultural area in Australia.

Yesterday, Malcolm Holm, an irrigated dairy farmer from Finley in southern NSW said up to 1000 people crammed into a meeting with the Murray Darling Basin Authority officials who addressed the crowd and answered questions. It was packed out and several hundred people couldn't get in and had to mill about outside. He said it was a "shemozzle". Understandably, people are anxious and worried about their future.

It's going to be hard for Julia Gillard to fix the problems of the Murray Darling Basin. She made a deal with the Greens but she also promised to help regional areas and it's about to create a war between the Greenies and the farmers. Enough water must be returned to make the river sustainable environmentally to please the Greens and there's going to be economic hardship for irrigators and farmers which will hurt country areas.

The National Farmers Federation are up in arms saying that thousands of jobs will be lost, food prices will soar and are predicting death to country towns. On the other hand Green MP Sarah Hanson-Young says we need to fix it not just for ten years but for 100 years which makes total sense. But the scale of the water reductions is huge with the authority recommending 27 to 37 per cent reduction and this comes out at 40 to 45 per cent in some areas.

So what does the Coalition have to say about all this? Barnaby Joyce says "the whole fabric and social fabric of that community is decimated" and says that some regions "will have to be closed down". The authority is almost apologetic for its economic estimates saying the loss in agriculture will be $800 million a year which is about 13 per cent of current agriculture production but concedes that the short term could be greater.

I think this is such an important issue for all Australians but because most of us live in the cities, we either don't get to hear about it or we couldn't care less, but we should. What will happen if all this prime agricultural land is lost? Who is going to feed us, China? Just outside of Sydney there is a river called the Hawkesbury. A long time ago when the convicts arrived, it was discovered that the land around the river was rich and ideal for agriculture. Now in 2010, this land is being sliced up and sold off for housing. Yet another great hunk of soil perfect for crops goes to the real estate industry.

Serious negotiations need to take place between the states regarding what's to happen to the Murray Darling Basin and everyone knows they can't agree on anything. But a plan has to be agreed on for Bourke to act next year. Tony Abbott is expected to put pressure on the government by backing regional areas ahead of the rivers.

Australian Muslim Preacher calls for beheading of Geert Wilders

Australian Muslim preacher Feiz Muhammad said in a speech in Campbelltown "Anyone who mocks, laughs or degrades Islam like Geert Wilders should be executed by chopping off his head." This man was investigated when DVDs of his sermons revealed that he had urged children to become holy warriors. He also said that a rape victim by Muslim youths had no one to blame but herself for wearing "satanic skirts".

Sheik Fadaa Majzoub vice president of the National Imams Council that wherever the comments were made, "they were completely rejected by Islamic authorities" and were just as extreme as those made by Mr Wilders.

Apparently Sheik Feiz left Australia and has spent time living and studying in Malaysia and Lebanon. But unfortunately he's back in Australia so where is ASIO when you need them - get rid of this man for God's sake.

Outspoken Sheik Taj el-Din al Hilaly, the man I thought was demoted because of his outrageous comments about young Australian women resembling meat, said that the comments were stupid and only caused harm to the Muslim community. No kidding.

Tony Abbott Still Furious with Julia Gillard

Tony Abbott is still fuming about what he sees as Julia Gillard's deliberate attempt to make him look bad regarding a visit to the troops in Afghanistan. "What I want to make crystal clear (again) is that I just won't cop any suggestion that I am indifferent to the fate of our troops or uninterested in the success of their mission" he told a news conference.

Now Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pine has jumped in and made things even worse when he said "She's prepared to play politics with our involvement in Afghanistan.... trying to create the impression that Tony Abbott didn't want to visit the diggers in the field was not just an act of political bastardry, but also back alley bitchiness from a person who is portraying all the signs of someone who is not fit to be Prime Minister". Dear me, this is really getting out of hand and I think it's making the Opposition look foolish.

As promised to the Greens, Julia Gillard will kick off a parliamentary debate on the war in Afghanistan next week. She will deliver a speech in parliament after question time on Tuesday, followed by Tony Abbott.

Tony Abbott Visits Troops in Afghanistan

Tony's done it again, rushed in where angels fear to tread. Here he is firing a Steyr 5.56 rifle at the Australian military base at Tarin Kowt in Southern Afghanistan. I can just see the anti-war brigade with this picture and a caption which reads "War Monger Abbott".

It seems he was really upset with Julia Gillard for making him look bad when she asked him to accompany her on a visit to the troops in Afghanistan. He called it an "act of low bastardry" - pretty strong words. She knew all along what his plans were about going to see the troops but didn't it work well for her.

Tony's Opposition Defence spokesman David Johnston said that Australians needed extra support because of a leaked email from a soldier at the front. But Australia's head of all Middle Eastern operations, Major General John Cantwell assured him that everything was under control.

"Does anyone really think I would for one minute place the lives of our soldiers at greater risk than it needs to be over a matter of policy?" Cantwell said. "I've stood beside the broken and ruined bodies of far too many soldiers this year." He went on "If I thought I needed to do more to keep those guys alive and send them home to their families, I'd damn well do it and wouldn't stop shouting until I got an answer."

Tony Abbott told the troops "I couldn't even win an election so I wouldn't be much use in a firefight."

Scottish Care Worker Linda Norgrove

Linda Norgrove grew up in a traditional croft in the Outer Hebrides where her parents kept cattle. They were charity workers and took her and her sister on holidays to developing countries when she was growing up. As a result of their work, she developed a sense of wanting to help others. She got a first class degree in environmental science from Aberdeen University and earned a distinction for her master's degree at London University.

The Scottish croft where Linda grew up

She was the Regional Director of the American-based Development Alternatives Inc (DAI) and was in charge of a five year, ninety four million pound aid project in an unstable area of eastern Afghanistan. She worked with more than 200 Afghans building roads and bridges, hydroelectric systems, improving agriculture and teaching people how to start their own businesses. She spoke Dari, an Afghanistan version of Persian, so she could talk to the locals.

She knew her work was becoming more dangerous when one of her bodyguards was murdered and then another Aid worker, Dr Karen Woo and nine of her colleagues were killed in August. But she refused to heed the warnings.

She was kidnapped when her two car convoy was stopped by gunmen along with three Afghans who were released a week later. Two days ago she was killed when one of her captors detonated a suicide vest in a failed pre-dawn attempt to rescue her. By the time the 150 US Special Forces troops had fought through Taliban fire for 30 minutes and stormed the compound, she was already dead. The Taliban had intended to use her to secure the release of Pakistani Aafia Siddiqui who is known as "Lady al-Qaeda" who was sentenced to 86 years in the US for the attempted murder of US agents and soldiers.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said "Decisions on operations to free hostages are always difficult. But when a British life is in such danger, and where we and our allies can act, I believe it is right to try". ISAF Commander David H Petraeus said "Afghan and coalition forces did everything in their power to rescue Linda, she was a courageous person with a passion to improve the lives of Afghan people and sadly lost her life in their service.

Some good people come into this world and make a huge difference to the lives of others. Linda Norgrove was one of them.

Footnote: British Prime Minister David Cameron said a full investigation would be launched into her death as it is now thought that a grenade from US forces could have been responsible.

Geert Wilders on Trial

Geert Wilders is an enigma - he likes to dye his hair blonde and he's chosen a life so fraught with conflict and stress that he says it's a living hell. But it's all his own doing. His life has been threatened many times, in fact his minders have to move him to a different location every night and he said that he wouldn't wish his life on his worst enemy. Now he's in court facing a charge of inciting hatred against Muslims. Prosecutors claim that many remarks he has made will prove him guilty, statements like "I've had enough of Islam in the Netherlands" and "Let not one more Muslim immigrate" and "I've had enough of the Quran - forbid that fascist book".

More than 1.4 million voters made his party the third largest in the June election. If convicted, he could face a year in jail. But the trial was adjourned because Wilders refused to answer questions put to him which he was legally entitled to do. Presiding judge Jan Moors was rattled by his decision to remain silent and said that Wilders was known for making bold statements and "It appears you are doing it again" he said. Wilders lawyer said the comment proved Moors was biased towards his client and moved to have him dismissed. The trial was suspended while other judges consider whether the complaint is justified. If it is, a new panel of judges could be appointed and the trial could be delayed by several months.

His Freedom Party has agreed to support a new right-wing Dutch government set to take office this month. In return, his political allies have promised to carry out much of his anti-immigration agenda. They will turn away more asylum seekers and cut immigration from non-Western countries in half. He also wants immigrants to pay for their own mandatory citizenship classes.

His film Fitna which roughly translated from Arabic as "strife" has caused widespread controversy. No TV company in the Netherlands would broadcast the 17 minute film and some Dutch politicians tried to ban it before Wilders posted it on the Internet in March 2008.

Far right groups like the English Defence League have been set up across Europe and are planning to demonstrate in Amsterdam in support of Wilders on 30th October to coincide with the end of his trial but now that it's been suspended it could be months into the future. There is huge interest in this trial and the eyes of the world are watching.

Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder

The funeral of Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder was a sad day for America. It's hard to understand how people can be so cruel in the name of Jesus Christ. The father of a young man who died for his country should have expected support and kindness on one of the worst days of his life - his son's funeral - but he didn't get it. Instead he was met with angry people waving placads that said 'Thank God for dead soldiers". There's really not much difference between them and the devout, religious extremist followers of Islam.

Shirley Phelps-Roper

They wanted him to know that God was punishing America for tolerating immorality, homosexuality and abortion. The pious folk of Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas felt no shame as they shouted abuse at his father. They felt completely justified in their actions because they belong to a group of religious zealots whose arrogance knows no bounds.

But justice was done. The church was fined $5m for intentional infliction of emotional distress but an appeals court threw out the verdict on the grounds that the first amendment to the US constitution guarantees the right of free speech.

Now the marine's father Albert Snyder is asking the supreme court to reinstate the original verdict. While distancing themselves from the church's message, media organisations including the Associated Press have asked the court to decide with the church because a victory to the boy's father could erode the right of free speech. Why can't something so obviously wrong be turned into something that is right? We await the verdict of the court with interest.

So who is responsible for this shameful debacle? His name is Fred Waldron Phelps senior who is head of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas. He's a disbarred lawyer and peddler of hate. He and his daughter Shirley Phelps Roper are banned from entering the UK and should be banned from every country in the world and Australia in particular.

Why are Labor Staffers Leaving?

Nicola Roxon

The Prime Minister's Chief policy adviser John Whelan resigned this week to return to a private legal career. He is regarded as one of the best policy brains in the government. Labor seems to be having a meltdown in employee morale because there have been at least 20 staff resignations in recent weeks. A comment from a staffer who has already left said "You usually get this sort of thing when you lose government, not when you win."

Health Minister Nicola Roxon is understood to have decided not to seek a position on the front bench after the election but she's still in the job. Known for being difficult to work for, her office had the highest number of resignations - Owen Torpey, Mark Ward, Ruth Kearon, Laura Ryan and Katie Hall.

Tanya Plibersek's office lost two and so did Chris Bowen and Warren Snowden. Industrial Relations Minister Chris Evans lost media adviser Joe Scard and there have been many resignations from Penny Wong's office. So what's going on, what's the reason? They all said they were disillusioned with the new government.

Meanwhile, the Coalition will be lapping it up. Liberal MP Scott Morrison said "From experience, they know a train wreck when they see one coming. They don't want to be part of another one".

Muslim Man Marries English Girl

An English Pakistani writer Sarfraz Manzoor writes about his marriage to an English girl and how hard it was for his family to accept. These excerpts are from his essay White Girls.

Two weeks before my wedding day my phone rang. It was my brother telling me that my mother had changed her mind. The wedding would make her too uncomfortable - she simply could not accept her son marrying a non-Muslim and she did not want to be the only one there distressed by the day. My mother had always insisted that she would not support any wedding unless Bridget converted but I had maintained that religious conversions are insulting unless they are genuine. Religion was far from the only issue; in choosing a white woman, I seem to them to be saying that a Pakistani woman was not good enough. Both my brother and older sister now had teenage children: if they were to endorse my marriage to Bridget, how could they ensure their own children would not follow suit? My mother had wanted me to marry someone who could easily fit into the family, someone to keep her company, someone who was one of them.

I awoke on the morning of my wedding day still not knowing whether my family would be there. There were three different seating plans, depending on what was decided. My wedding speech was still unwritten as that too would be influenced by who was in the audience. My sister rang. There had been a two-hour family conference the previous night. It had been decided that both my brother and older sister as well as their respective families, were not coming. My mother would come with my younger sister. This I knew was only down to my younger sister's persuasion for which I will be forever grateful. "Hurry up and get on that train" I told her "There's less than 2 hours to the wedding."

In the domed central chamber of Islington town hall, where the civil ceremony would take place, I stood waiting for the woman who would be my bride. Out of the corner of my eye I could see my mother and my sister. Throughout all the pain and sadness of dealing with my family, Bridget had supported me and her family had been equally sensitive - their sadness at the prospect of my family missing the wedding coupled with a sense of powerlessness and so it was especially moving to see Fran and Bob, Bridget's mother and father, sitting quietly with them.

At the evening reception in the Garden Museum, the hall thrummed with warmth and affection. Fairy lights twinkled on the trees in the garden. Flowers arranged by Bridget's mother adorned the banqueting tables which were named after iconic albumns. I saw on Born to Run with my mother to my right. As she tucked into the egg curry and chicken jalfrezi, friends and Bridget's reltaives flocked to tell her how happy they were to see her.

My mother had said that she and my sister would be leaving at the end of the meal. In fact they were there to hear the speeches so I could thank them publically for turning up. They stayed until 1am, my sister danced to Lady Gaga, my mother talked in broken English to Bridget's parents and in basic Urdu to Bridget. At times during the evening I would look on in wonder. It did not seem real. My white wife, my mother and me. All in the same room and smiling.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/sep/29/family-boycott-wedding-day

Rob Oakeshott

Rob Oakeshott was born in Lismore. His father is still a doctor in the area and his grandfather Captain John Oakeshott was a prisoner of war and survived the Sandakan Death March. So he comes from excellent stock.

Australian prisoners were sent to Sandakan in 1942 to build an airstrip. By late 1944, the allies were moving toward Borneo so the Japanese sent 2,000 Australian and British prisoners to Ranau in Bornio's interior. Weak and sick prisoners staggered 260 kilometres along jungle tracks and many died along the way. Those unable to continue were killed. Only six men - all Australians - survived and Rob Oakeshott's grandfather was one of them.

He attended Barker College and was a boarder in later years. He then studied at the University of Sydney.

Rob Oakeshott is a strange man. He's already alienated himself from the Coalition by dashing Tony Abbott's hopes of becoming Prime Minister when he went with Labor. Now he's made extraordinary allegations against the Labor Party. He says there were traitors within the party who actually wanted Tony Abbott to win. Why? Because then there would be a "bloodbath" and Julia Gillard would be severely reprimanded about the demise of Kevin Rudd, calling the election early and Labor's dissppointing election campaign. He said some ALP figures "wanted us (the independents) to choose the Liberals so they could have a bloodbath in public". But he won't name them.

The Nationals have vehmently denied his allegations of racism within their party and say that he invented his own reasons for his 2002 defection. He said that during a celebration following his election to state parliament in 1996, a senior National saw his wife who is of Pacific Island heritage and said "the party was being taken over by blacks and poofters". Undeniably an ignorant, racist remark but was it enough reason to leave the party? Maybe, maybe not.

We recently found out he approached Labor Premier Morris Iemma in 2007 and asked to be considered for a job in his ministry. He declined the offer.

Rob Oakeshot seems to be under the illusion that whenever he speaks - people are interested in what he's got to say. Last night I saw Bob Katter call him "buckshot" to his face. Unfortunately, his track record shows that he hasn't earned the respect necessary to become a credible voice.

Stonehenge - A Shrine for Healing?

Two British Archaeologists say they have found the reason behind the construction of Stonehenge. It's been standing for thousands of years and although there have been many theories, no one really knew why, until now. It's purpose was to heal.

Professors Geoffrey Wainwright and Timothy Darvill liken it to a primeval Lourds, drawing pilgrims from all around Europe. "We found several reasons to believe that the stones were built as part of a belief of a healing process" Wainwright told journalists at London's Society of Antiquaries.

Wainwright and Darvill have been the first to escavate the sight in more than 40 years and said the key to the mystery was the double circle of bluestones - a rare rock known to geologists as spotted dolomite which lie at the centre of the monument. Dragged or floated on rafts all the way from Pembrokeshire in Wales to Salisbury Plain in southern England, he said the bluestones were prized for their healing properties. Apparently the proof is not only in the stones but also in the bones. Skeletons recovered from the area showed signs of serious disease or injury.

"People were in a state of distress, if I can put it as politely as that, when they came to the Stonehenge monument" Darvill said. Although it sounds logical, surely there's more to it. I suspect there is much more to learn about this fascinating circle of stones - one of the most mysterious places on earth.

Druidism Now Recognised Religion in UK

The Druids were a Celtic pagan faith that came to power in Europe thousands of years ago. Now Britain has recognised Druidry as an official religion for the first time and they share the same status as the Church of England.

A druid was a member of the priestly, elitist class in Gaul (present day France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland, Northern Italy, Holland and Germany and possibly other parts of Celtic Europe during the Iron Age). When the Romans invaded and conquered Gaul, the Druids were suppressed. Very little is known about them because they didn't leave any written records - the little we do know came from Greek and Roman authors. Not one single artefact or image has ever been found that can be connected with certainty to the Druids. In Ireland, they were portrayed as sorcerers from the dark side who opposed Christianity. They were known to perform human sacrifice and believe in a form of reincarnation.

Druidism is now a recognised religion in Britain. Best known for their gatherings at Stonehenge every summer solstice, the commission said it accepted that druidry was an "ancient pagan religion" in its own right involving the worship of nature, particularly the sun and the earth. That means they are classed as a charity and won't pay tax. Scientology is another "church" that doesn't pay tax in many Western countries, including Australia -a cynic would say such a classification is a licence to print money.

There are now about 10,000 Druid practitioners in Britain. The Druid Network fought for nearly five years to be recognised under the semi-government Charity Commission which requires proof of serious belief in a supreme entity and a moral framework. After initially rejecting the Druid Network's application, last week they changed their mind. "There is sufficient believe in a supreme being or entity to constitute a religion for the purposes of charity law" they said.

I'd like to know what their policy is on human sacrifice.

Julia Gillard Visits Troops in Afghanistan

Julia Gillard and David Petraeus

There's an anti-war feeling sweeping Australia at the moment, just like there was way back when the Vietnam war was being fought. That same anti-war feeling finally ended the war but it had a profound affect on our diggers returning home - they were ashamed to admit they were over there. Our government commited our country to the war for what seemed a good idea at the time - it was thought that if Vietnam fell to the communists, there would be a domino effect and it was in Australia's best interests to be there.

Maybe she had this in mind when the Prime Minister made a surprise visit to Afghanistan yesterday and reassured our troops that we were "with them". But that isn't quite true because Bob Brown wants to bring the boys home and a large proportion of the population agree with him. In a gruelling 20 hour day she also travelled to Kabul for talks with NATO Commander General David Petraeus and President Hamid Karzai.

She addressed the troops: "I know it has been a really hard period, a really hard year, a really hard few months and we very much value what you are doing here..... because the mission is so important to our national interest, the mission is critical to making sure that this place does not again become the training ground and a place that sponsors violence and terrorism that is visited on innocent people around the world but particularly on innocent Australians.

She dismissed the Opposition's call for more troops and military hardware. So why did one of our men at the front leak an email saying that help is urgently needed? Someone is telling porkies.

Parliament is preparing for the first full Parliamentary debate on the Afghan war but Ms Gillard told the troops not to fear the debate which the government agreed to with the Greens. She wanted to reassure the troops that this debate would be a great opportunity to tell the people just what Australians were achieving in Afghanistan.

The Opposition is still standing by its claim that we are not adequately protecting our soldiers and more help and support is needed. The Australian death toll in Afghanistan now stands at 21.

Christina Keneally Looks to Federal Politics

Peter Garrett had better watch his back - Christina Keneally is looking to Federal politics. If she loses the state election, and please God, she will, those powerbrokers are at it again, thinking up ways to get her to Canberra.

And guess where they are looking, yes you guessed it, Peter Garrett's seat of Kingsford Smith. I'll never forget how this man was maligned by the whole country as being cruel and uncaring about the deaths of the young men who died in the insulation bat debacle. We didn't find out until after it was all over that he had repeatedly tried to see Kevin Rudd about safety issues to no avail. Kevin had hung him out to dry. You have to give it to the man, he didn't try to save his reputation by leaking what really happened to the media, he took the distain of the country with stoicism and dignity.

But getting back to the subject of Christina. An unnamed Labor source said yesterday "It would be hard for the NSW heavies to remove Peter. Firstly they would be mad to knock off a cabinet minister - one retained by Julia Gillard in her new government and secondly - Garrett is very popular within the party; thirdly he has strong support in the branches. But some of these blokes have form when it comes to doing mad things - you only have to look at the election campaign."

But another senior Labor Party source (also unnamed) said he thought Keneally had enough rank-and-file support to win preselection for Kingsford-Smith. "There's a neatness, a cleanness to it that makes it sensible, if that's what she wants."

Of course Christina denies any knowledge of such a plan and goes on to tell us why the people of New South Wales - the Premier State, should vote Labor back in - an idea that beggars belief. But Peter Garrett is said to be vulnerable - he is factionally unaligned (big mistake) and had a two party preferred swing against him of more than 8 per cent in the federal election.

Julie Gillard's First 100 Days

Andrew Robb

Some members of the Canberra press seem to think that the Opposition camp isn't a very happy one at the moment. Peter Slipper's move to take on the Deputy Speaker's job was a shock out of the blue and the relationship between Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey and Finance Spokesman Andrew Robb, seems to be deteriorating.

Joe Hockey

It was different before the election, things looked great for the Opposition. Julia had knifed Kevin in the back, lots of mistakes were made, and Tony Abbott looked set to win. But after one week back on the job, the Coalition's morale seems to be flagging. No one expected Kevin Rudd to behave the way he has, instead of being a petulant, bitter loser, he's faced up to his assasssination with remarkable dignity. Tony could be forgiven for thinking it would be impossible for Julia and Kevin to ever work together again after what happened but it's working just fine so far.

So Julia Gillard's first 100 days in office have been memorable to say the least, it's a miracle she's still standing. But it's very early days.

Sydney Hospital Crisis

Blacktown hospital has been in need of an urgent upgrade for years. There was a $150 million plan in place to add 100 more beds, plus new renal and cancer units but now it's not going to happen because that money is going to the bush instead. Why? Because Julia Gillard made a deal with the Independents that she would channel health money to regional areas and now she has. Blacktown has the highest demand for health services in New South Wales with the highest rates of cardiovascular and renal disease in Sydney. They have sick people lying in chairs because there are no beds.

Our NSW hospitals are almost at third world level. Blacktown, Northern Sydney, Camden and Campbelltown were on the list for urgent funding, along with many others, but now they won't get any.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said metropolitan services would not suffer. "Our health reforms mean that for the first time, we will be taking on 60 per cent of capital infrastructure costs of hospitals across the country." Let's hope she can do something, it's way past crisis point.

What the NSW Labor government has done to our city of Sydney and the whole state is unforgivable - the millions of dollars they have wasted over the years could have built new hospitals and upgraded others. Of course no one is accountable but those responsible should be sent to gaol - they simply got away with murder.