Monday, February 29, 2016

Cardinal Pell appears in Rome!

IMG 2000.2 Gympie Catholic Church
Archbishop Statue at Gympie Qld.
The Royal Commission into Child Sexual Assault in Church Based Care is now hearing the Institutional Responses to the evidence before the Royal Commission.

Cardinal George Pell who now resides in Rome at the Vatican was asked to attend the Commission here in Australia but he sited medical issues as a reason to not return from Rome.   The Royal Commission wished to question him about what he knew about the worst child pedophilia so far reported in Australia in his Ballarat Diocese in Victoria. 

Between 1953 and 1983 a number of students who attended St Patrick's College and St Alipius Boys' School, administered by St Patrick's College, made allegations that they were sexually assaulted. Some of these cases were litigated and the offenders found guilty. In 2002, Gerald Ridsdale, who served as the school chaplain at St Alipius' during this period, was convicted of a number of child sexual offences. In addition, three Christian Brothers who taught at St Alipius Boys' School and at St Patrick's College in the early 1970s were subsequently convicted of child sexual offences related to activities at the two schools. Victoria Police reported in July 2011 that close to 30 of the students who were abused at St Alipius have subsequently committed suicide.

One draws a deep breath thinking this is the Church we are discussing here. The Church was such a trusted institution and a powerful institution in the community and this is how this sickness of abuse flourished.  It is because of archaic roman ways of doing things.  One could safely call it the dark ages in Ballarat Australia. George Pell is being questioned because there is overwhelming evidence against him that he ignored any pleas for help.

George Pell testifying in Rome on my Television.
*Note the Christ Scandal on the shelf below.

The Cardinal read from the evidence and the questioning began.  Counsel for the Commission, Gail Furness SC questioned him at great length about particular instances beginning around 1972 when he entered the priesthood as an ordained priest in the Ballarat Diocese.  

A few hours of grueling questioning and the Cardinal was looking like a narcissistic mongrel who had no problems in deflecting all blame onto either Bishop O'Collins, Bishop Mulkearns and Monsignor Fiskalini.  If he wasn't deflecting, he was not recalling and continually resorted to saying I have no recollection.

The media flashed these erroneous statements the Cardinal made during his response to the evidence because it was gob smacking to hear him speak so heartlessly for a so called Cardinal.  He said, "It was of little interest to him".   He ignored complaints by a student who petitioned him personally to intervene because his brother had been beaten and sexually abused by Father Dowlan.

In another startling fact that has come to light to the rest of the world is that this diocese had several pedophile priests working together and that these priests regularly assaulted the same groups of boys so their names were obviously passed around.  Fear is a terrible weapon to use on any child - those priests were not men, they were very sick individuals.

The Royal Commission will be questioning the Cardinal continually over the next three days totaling four grueling days of questioning when this is finished.

The Survivors who traveled to Rome to sit in front of the Cardinal as he gave his evidence assembled outside of the Hotel after today's evidence was given for a media interview.  Everything they said brought me to absolute tears.  I was almost feeling like I was standing next to them there in Rome. 

This is a chance for all of the survivors of abuse that have come forward to the Commission to have a voice and to at least be able to tell someone what happened and once again the survivors urged anyone who was yet to come forward to please make that contact with the Commissioner and give their evidence.  More tomorrow on Cardinal Pell.

From the ABC

Key points from Cardinal Pell's evidence today

  • Cardinal Pell denied knowing about paedophile priests in the Ballarat diocese when he was a priest and then as an adviser to Bishop Mulkearns in the 1970s and early 80s
  • He criticised Bishop Mulkearns for the way paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale was moved from parish to parish, saying it was a "catastrophe" for the victims and for the church
  • Cardinal Pell told the royal commission he had no knowledge of Ridsdale's offences at the time
  • He also told the hearing the Catholic Church had made enormous mistakes in the past and he was "not here to defend the indefensible"
  • Cardinal Pell denied knowing anything about the circumstances surrounding the resignation of Mildura priest Monsignor John Day, who was accused of widespread misconduct with children over 13 years
  • He admitted "in light of what we know now", the fact that Monsignor Day was appointed a parish priest in Timboon a year after his resignation was "quite unacceptable"
  • In relation to allegations made against a number of Christian Brothers, Cardinal Pell said he knew about "eccentricities" relating to Brother Fitzgerald and about "fleeting references" to Brother Dowlan, but he did not know about the graphic sexual nature of many of the allegations
  • With regards to evidence presented to the Cardinal during the session, he conceded there appeared to be a "significant number" of people around Ballarat East who knew about the sexual offending of a number of Brothers during the 1970s
  • Cardinal Pell will continue his evidence at 8am AEDT on Tuesday

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Friday, February 26, 2016

Cleaning out my Closet

IMG 2066
A windmill continually turns and turns and turns.

This song has a long history for me and I have loved it since I first heard this when it was released.   "Cleanin' Out My Closet" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his fourth studio album The Eminem Show (2002).

"Cleanin' Out My Closet" was the second single released off the album.  It talks about childhood relationships with his mother Debbie Mathers.  

It reminded me of my childhood where violence was used endlessly on my body and I was made to feel guilty for walking or even breathing.  I felt guilty about my birth parents for as long as I can remember.  Guilt and shame.  There is no reason for this.  It was the crazy willful thoughts and actions of someone who was well out of their depth with child rearing capabilities (well meaning relatives with zero skill).

I was made to feel this same similar guilt for ever listening to Eminem songs by my children's father who created situations where my son and I would have to hide to listen to his magical raps.  Years later on pondering this, I realize  I decided well when I decided I did not want him to come home ever again.  There was more for me in life in my quest for victory over my circumstances.

With the release of The Marshall Mathers LP 2 in 2013, Eminem apologized to his mother on the track "Headlights". He stated (among other things such as wrongfully mocking her drug problem, regretting that he never let his daughters meet their grandmother) that he cringes when he hears "Cleanin' Out My Closet" on the radio, and that he does not play the song in concert any more.

This song is my middle daughters anthem for hating on her mother.  Pity she didn't work out why Marshall forgave his mother. Progress goes on. The individual must grow and build and repair.



 


Cleaning out my Closet

Where's my snare?
I have no snare in my headphones
there you go
Yeah
yo, yo
Have you ever been hated or discriminated against?
I have, I've been protested and demonstrated against
Picket signs for my wicked rhymes, look at the times
Sick as the mind of the motherfucking kid that's behind
All this commotion emotions run deep as ocean's exploding
Tempers flaring from parents just blow 'em off and keep going
Not taking nothing from no one give 'em hell long as I'm breathing
Keep kicking ass in the morning and taking names in the evening
Leave 'em with a taste as sour as vinegar in they mouth
See they can trigger me, but they'll never figure me out
Look at me now, I bet ya probably sick of me now ain't you momma?
I'mma make you look so ridiculous now
I'm sorry momma!
I never meant to hurt you!
I never meant to make you cry, but tonight
I'm cleaning out my closet (one more time)
I said I'm sorry momma!
I never meant to hurt you!
I never meant to make you cry, but tonight
I'm cleaning out my closet
Ha! I got some skeletons in my closet
And I don't know if no one knows it
So before they thrown me inside my coffin and close it
I'mma expose it, I'll take you back to '73
Before I ever had a multi-platinum selling CD
I was a baby, maybe I was just a couple of months
My faggot father must have had his panties up in a bunch
'Cause he split, I wonder if he even kissed me goodbye
No I don't. On second thought I just fucking wished he would die
I look at Hailie, and I couldn't picture leaving her side
Even if I hated Kim, I grit my teeth and I'd try
To make it work with her at least for Hailie's sake
I maybe made some mistakes, but I'm only human
but I'm man enough to face them today
What I did was stupid, no doubt it was dumb
But the smartest shit I did was take the bullets outta that gun
'Cause I'da killed him, shit I would've shot Kim and him both
It's my life, I'd like to welcome y'all to "The Eminem Show"
I'm sorry momma!
I never meant to hurt you!
I never meant to make you cry, but tonight
I'm cleaning out my closet (one more time)
I said I'm sorry momma!
I never meant to hurt you!
I never meant to make you cry, but tonight
I'm cleaning out my closet
Now I would never diss my own momma just to get recognition
Take a second to listen for who you think this record is dissing
But put yourself in my position, just try to envision
Witnessing your momma popping prescription pills in the kitchen
Bitching that someone's always going through her purse and shit's missing
Going through public housing systems, victim of Munchhausen's Syndrome
My whole life I was made to believe I was sick when I wasn't
'Til I grew up, now I blew up, it makes you sick to ya stomach
Doesn't it? Wasn't it the reason you made that CD for me Ma?
So you could try to justify the way you treated me Ma?
But guess what? You're getting older now and it's cold when you're lonely
And Nathan's growing up so quick he's gonna know that you're phony
And Hailie's getting so big now, you should see her, she's beautiful
But you'll never see her, she won't even be at your funeral!
See what hurts me the most is you won't admit you was wrong
Bitch do your song, keep telling yourself that you was a mom!
But how dare you try to take what you didn't help me to get
You selfish bitch, I hope you fucking burn in hell for this shit
Remember when Ronnie died and you said you wished it was me?
Well guess what, I am dead, dead to you as can be!
I'm sorry momma!
I never meant to hurt you!
I never meant to make you cry, but tonight
I'm cleaning out my closet (one more time)
I said I'm sorry momma!
I never meant to hurt you!
I never meant to make you cry, but tonight
I'm cleaning out my closet.  

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Monday, February 22, 2016

FIJI APPEAL FOR HELP!


***TC WINSTON FIJI DONATION APPEALS & DETAILS***
***Share and Give ***

Severe tropical cyclone Winston category 5 directly impacted Fiji and maritime islands on Saturday causing unimaginable damage and destruction. Sadly the death toll has risen to 10 with fears this will rise further. 1000's of homes and crops have been damaged or destroyed displacing 1000's of lives.
***FIJI NEEDS OUR HELP & SUPPORT***

Pacific Smiles
is based in Brisbane and are a registered charity providing relief to Fiji. They are collecting goods donations to fill a 40ft shipping container to send to Fiji ASAP, they also require $20,000 in cash to get it there.
DROP OF DONATION POINTS: ( Goods to be boxed and clean working order ) Brisbane - Wynnum, Underwood, Springfield & Springfield Lakes. Gold Coast - Nerang, Upper Coomera. Please Email for address details reeree04@msn.com

GO FUND ME: https://www.gofundme.com/kadavu2016
DIRECT DEPOSIT: National Australia Bank, Account Name - Pacific Smiles, BSB - 084134, Account no. - 196826487

CARE Australia
You can help communities devastated by natural disaster by donating to CARE’s Cyclone Winston Appeal.
In Fiji, CARE partners with the non-government network Live & Learn to provide emergency response advice and support. Our teams on the ground are working to assess the damage caused by the storm and are set to support the Fiji Government in any emergency response efforts. Our emergency response experts are ready to support the most vulnerable, including women and girls. It’s highly likely there will be urgent need to provide shelter and access to clean and safe water.
We need your help to respond to communities devastated by natural disaster. Please give generously to CARE’s Cyclone Winston Appeal. https://www.care.org.au/a…/cyclone-winston-emergency-appeal/

Save the Children Australia
Please donate now. Save the Children is responding
Aid workers from Save the Children globally are gearing up to deploy to the worst affected areas. We have: teams ready to assess the damage once the curfew lifts
teachers ready to support children in evacuation centres. To start, we will operate special playgroups for children staying in some of the 700-plus evacuation centres across the country.
stockpiled emergency supplies to ensure children return to school as soon as possible. This includes school bags, classroom kits and child friendly spaces kits for evacuation centres if schools are damaged.
https://www.savethechildren.org.au/donate/cyclone-winston

 

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Tropical Cyclone Winston is strongest ever to hit Fiji

Tropical Cyclone Winston is strongest ever to hit Fiji:

Fiji took a direct hit by Tropical Cyclone Winston, the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the island nation.

Winston remains the equivalent of an extremely dangerous Category 5
hurricane in the eastern Pacific or Atlantic basins or a super typhoon
in the western Pacific Ocean.

According to a blog by New Zealand MetService,
"Winston is now the strongest tropical cyclone and the first Category 5
[in the Southern Hemisphere] tropical cyclone on record to hit Fiji."

The cyclone made landfall about 6:30 p.m. local time on Saturday near Nasau on Fiji's main island of Viti Levu.


Sunday, February 14, 2016

Lupercalia - The less than lovey dovey side of the St Valentines Feast

Valentino

Feast Days are Ancient calendar days that held great significance in the past.  One such one is the Feast of St Valentine. 

In today's society it is nothing more than an opportunity to sell more rubbish to people at a very high price and justify it all by love and lovers.

The truth of this time is a little different.  Before the Roman religion became Christianized and possibly even pre Roman times it was the Pagan Festival of Lupercalia on this day.  This festival is carried out from the 13th to the 15th of February.  The priests that oversaw this feast were known as the Luperci (priests).

The observances for this day were Goat and Dog slaughtering and the Luperci took part in hitting women in order to increase their fertility.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Sunday, February 07, 2016

My Friend Atalanta .. a true Goddess!



IMG 7260 The Goddesses

Atalanta is from Greece and she was abandoned by her father, King Iasus for the sin of being a girl. She was left for dead.  A mother bear suckled her and she survived against the odds and grew strong.  A group of warriors found her in the Arcadian Woods and took her home and she lived with this tribe and learns well and becomes  an awesome warrior woman and a highly skilled hunter.

She was a very busy woman during her interesting life journey.  She killed two Centaurs. She sets off on a quest to get the Golden Fleece. Wrestles Pelias. Has a deep and meaningful with the Oracle of Delphi and lastly Atalanta was the the only woman on a Caledonian boar hunt where she was awarded the trophy hide by Meleager for stabbing this animal first, a great show of her expertise.  This had bad repercussions for Meleager.

After talking to the Oracle who clearly told her that marriage would be malefic, she wasn't altogether ecstatic about being hooked up and did her very best to not go there.  Eventually, after going back to her father King Iasus (yep very suss) she is forced to marry Hippomenes to make her father happy.  First though, a deal is struck and the two betrothed participate in a race where the winner chooses what shall take place. 

Hippomenes cheats by scoring some special golden apples from Aphrodite who is abhorred even by the thought of virginity so she is eager to help Hippomenes.  He casts these magic golden apples behind him as he runs in the race.  Atalanta can't resist these and has to stop to pick each one up and so she loses the quest and has to marry him. 

Her new husband has a mind snap and forgets to say thank you to  the Grecian goddess of Love, Beauty, Seduction, Pleasure, and Happiness.  Aphrodite evens the score and curses him with an overpowering lust.  Him and Atalanta make out at the sacred temple of Zeus.  Of course they get caught and for denigrating the Great God Zeus and his temple they are both turned into Lions.  Symbolic of ascension to higher realms represented by the divine male and female and Heiros Gamos.
********************
By the blessing of good fortune I have a  friend who is also Atalanta.  She has a lot of these Goddess characteristics when it comes to being a Warrior Woman who is a skilled and protective huntress (mother).  She gets on well with oracles too I am told.
Images @ Eminpee Fotography



Saturday, February 06, 2016

What is behind the closing down of Sydney

IMG 5654 Sydney City Traffic

"Would the last person in Sydney please turn the lights out" is a great piece of research by Matt Barrie about the NSW Governments Lock Out Policy.
Ruled by a succession of incompetent governments, everything in Sydney is now illegal- including fun. 
This half witted ill thought through policy  has sent just about everyone in the entertainment and liquor business broke.
 
Read full article at the following link.

 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/would-last-person-sydney-please-turn-lights-out-matt-barrie

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Friday, February 05, 2016

SYNTHETIC CANNABIS TRIALS IN VICTORIA...

Cannabis
Image source - Don Goofy

Read Full Story at ABC

Synthetic cannabis medical trial to treat Victorian children with severe epilepsy...

Ten children will initially be involved in the Austin Health trial, which will focus on finding the right dose of the drug developed by an American pharmaceutical company.
What are people not getting about this? 
Synthetic Cannabis? 
Why? 
Why synthetic? 

This should be looked at very seriously by the Australian public because this is not what health with Cannabis use as a medicine is about. 

The natural plant and the use of all of the CBD's in the entire plant are needed to work in a medicinal way. 

I have read Herbals that are two hundred and fifty years old that refer to this plant and its health benefits.  Our governments need to wake up and stop paying monkeys top dollar and getting back a bag of moldy smelly peanuts in return.

People died in French trials. This has to stop.  To even think that synthetic cannabis use is ethical even when the real plant is required is the work of psychopaths.

Thursday, February 04, 2016

AGL will relinquish its Petroleum Exploration Licence for the Gloucester region (PEL 285) to the NSW Government.

IMG 6576
MEDIA RELEASE
AGL WEBSITE


Thursday, 4 February 2016

AGL Energy Limited (AGL) today announced that following a review, it has taken a strategic decision that exploration and production of natural gas assets will no longer be a core business for the company due to the volatility of commodity prices and long development lead times.

There is no change to AGL’s commercial or retail gas activities. AGL is confident that it has sufficient gas for its residential and small business customers following the recent contract with the Gippsland Basin Joint Venture and the planned expansion of the Eastern Gas Pipeline. Incremental future gas requirements are likely to be sourced from the southern markets.

AGL expects to recognise an impairment charge of $640 million after tax ($795 million pre-tax) against the carrying value of its gas exploration and production assets including an increase in rehabilitation provisions. This charge will be recognised as a significant item in the financial results for the six months ended 31 December 2015. The impairment has minimal impact on FY16 Underlying profit.

The FY16 cash impact of this strategic decision, excluding potential sale of assets, is expected to be less than $10 million and relates to rehabilitation, redundancy and other associated costs.
The two major drivers of the impairment charge have been the fall in global oil prices with consequent effect on long-term Queensland gas prices and Waukivory Pilot well data indicating lower than expected production volumes for the Gloucester Gas Project.

Managing Director and CEO, Andy Vesey, said AGL would focus on its core competencies, transforming the business to capitalise on the evolution occurring in the energy sector and to meet its customers’ rapidly changing needs and expectations.
Queensland

Primarily due to the fall in long-term Queensland price forecasts, AGL has impaired its Queensland natural gas assets at Moranbah, Silver Springs and Spring Gully. Apart from gas storage and related plant at Silver Springs, AGL expects to sell these assets. Due to difficult market conditions this may take some time. It is likely that the sale of Moranbah will require a cash payment in relation to onerous contract provisions previously booked.
New South Wales

In New South Wales, AGL will not proceed with the Gloucester Gas Project and will cease production at the Camden Gas Project in South West Sydney in 2023, twelve years earlier than previously proposed. Resulting impairments for both projects have included additional provisions ensuring rehabilitation costs have been appropriately provided for.

AGL has completed the business case for the Gloucester Gas Project which incorporated disappointing gas flow data from the Waukivory Pilot wells and economic modelling of the gas resource. Unfortunately, the economic returns to support the investment of approximately $1 billion were not adequate. Consequently, in the interest of our shareholders and customers, this is the most responsible course of action.
AGL will relinquish its Petroleum Exploration Licence for the Gloucester region (PEL 285) to the NSW Government and will now commence a comprehensive decommissioning and rehabilitation program for its well sites and other infrastructure in the Gloucester region.

“Exiting our gas assets in New South Wales has been a difficult decision for the company. AGL has invested significantly in these projects and communities over the past seven years for the Gloucester Gas Project, and ten years in the case of the Camden Gas Project.

“We are proud of the dedication and professionalism of our employees and contractors in their efforts to get to this point and our work to bring benefits to the communities in which we operate. We remain committed to leaving a positive legacy in these regions,” said Mr Vesey.

AGL will establish a $2 million Independent Trust Fund and will work with the Gloucester community to identify investment options to deliver ongoing economic benefit to the region and its communities.

Without the Gloucester Gas Project, there are limited opportunities for scale and efficiency across projects, so at Camden, AGL will extract gas from its existing wells enabling closure in 2023. The Camden site and wells will be progressively decommissioned and the sites rehabilitated.
Impairment summary

The carrying value assessment of the Group’s assets will be finalised in conjunction with the interim financial results to be released on 10 February 2016, and is subject to final audit review.
The expected impairment by project and remaining book values are shown in the tables below.
160204_ASXTable2

Conference call

AGL will host a conference call later this morning. Dial-in details for this call are shown below. Questions will be taken at the conclusion of the call.
Time: 9.30am (AEDT)
Dial-in details: Toll Free (Australia): 1800 558 698 (quote “AGL”) International: +61 2 9007 3187 (quote “AGL”)

About AGL


AGL is one of Australia’s leading integrated energy companies. It is taking action to responsibly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions while providing secure and affordable energy to its customers. Drawing on over 175 years of experience, AGL serves its customers throughout eastern Australia with meeting their energy requirements, including gas, electricity, solar PV and related products and services. AGL has a diverse power generation portfolio including base, peaking and intermediate generation plants, spread across traditional thermal generation as well as renewable sources including hydro, wind, solar, landfill gas and biomass.
Further Enquiries

Nicole Rizgalla
Investor Relations Manager
Direct +61 2 9921 2691
Mobile +61 (0) 400 488 836
Email nrizgalla@agl.com.au

Kathryn Lamond
Media Manager
Direct +61 2 9921 2170
Mobile +61 (0) 424 465 464
Email klamond@agl.com.au



Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Making a Police Complaint . . .

IMG 8057Black Monday at Glenugie 

When the Law step over the and you are on the end of this mind snap situation you need to have a clear contact list from which to draw from to make a complaint about this and have it duly recorded as such.  Investigation of officers who flaunt their own rules are to be noted and investigated.

TO RAISE GENERAL COMPLAINT TO NSW POLICE FORCE CONTACT
Customer Assistance Unit:
Telephone: 1800 622 571

TO CONTACT NARRABRI POLICE STATION
Phone: 02 6792 7199

TO LODGE A COMPLAINT ABOUT A POLICE OFFICER
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/…/complain_about_a_police_off…

TO LODGE COMPLAINT TO THE NSW OMBUDSMAN FOR POLICE
http://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/what-…/our-work/police/complaints

CONTACT POLICE & JUSTICE MINISTER & Deputy premier HON Troy Grant MP
Also Member for Dubbo
(02) 8574 6800 (SYDNEY CONTACT)
(02) 6682 3577 (DUBBO OFFICE)
EMAIL: dubbo@parliament.nsw.gov.au
FACEBOOK CONTACT https://www.facebook.com/TroyGrantMP/?fref=ts
Minister of police & Justice
The Hon. Troy Grant MP
GPO Box 5341
SYDNEY NSW 2001

TO MAKE A WRITTEN COMPLAINT TO THE NSW POLICE COMMISSIONERS OFFICE GO TO THIS WEBSITE
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/contact_us
(select “commissioners office” in the first drop down box & progress through the prompts)

CONTACT THE POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NSW, SAY *NO* TO POLICE FORCE OF THIS KIND BEING USED ON PEACEFUL PROTECTORS AT THE PILLIGA FOREST
email: info.centre@pansw.org.au
Phone: (02) 92656777

LET YOUR LOCAL AREA COMMAND (LAC) KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS:
Search for your LAC Address, phone & Facebook at: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/…/operatio…/local_area_commands

List compiled by and for the Pilliga Push group against Santos at Pilliga

Images @ Eminpee Fotography.

Tuesday, February 02, 2016

Police use Chemical Weapons on Female protestors at Pilliga

N.S.W. Police "Skeleton" Cap Badge 

Two middle aged women were peacefully protesting the Santos Leewood Waste Water Facility which Santos are trying to construct illegally at the Pilliga Forest in North Western NSW.  While protesting they were assaulted by police while in a position from which they could not obey any order to move on  because they were locked on. 

One of the Narrabri Police officers attending, Officer Grant Bell came around from behind and reefed one of the women's sunglasses from her face, while clumsily grabbing her hair and pushing her head backwards he commenced to spray at close range his oleoresin capsicum spray into her eyes and mouth.  If that was not enough violence unleashed by someone acting unbalanced against someone who could not move, he then picked her up and threw her over the machinery whilst her arm was still in the lock on contraption attached to the machine.  This unnecessary action by this officer caused the clearly distressed woman's dress to come off and for her to be fully exposed to all of the Santos workers on site at the time.

The police officer taking this type of action displays he is not in control and shows he could jeopardize work colleagues in a truly dangerous situation if he cannot keep his cool in a peaceful non violent situation, the officer is clearly capable of making very poor decisions in a situation that requires quick evaluation and action. 
The bully tactics by police and government bend this situation to look very much like we Australians have lost our right to protest poor government decisions which we deem to effect everyone across the board.
 
IMG 7164.s2
Santos Office at Narrabri
Governments propaganda machine is now trying to convince the general public that people who protest corporate destruction of land and water are environmental terrorists and are lumping them in the same box as Muslim extremists.

These warrior women were attempting to protect the land and water and especially the water of the Great Artesian Basin from contamination by Santos when the attack occurred, they are clearly not terrorists. 

If we are prevented from speaking out then we have lost all of our rights as citizens of this country because we can never speak out with out the fear of punitive and violent action against us. 


IMG 6208 Stop Fracking our Land for CSG
Stop Fracking sign at the Tent Embassy Canberra
Media Release:Pilliga Push Mob Protesting Santos

Violent actions by one police officer at yesterday’s peaceful protest against CSG activities in the Pilliga forest in North West NSW has triggered calls for the Government to halt Santos’ operations there, given they are subject to legal challenge and triggering large-scale protest.
Yesterday morning two South Australian women in their 40s were locked on to an excavator at gas company Santos’ controversial Leewood CSG wastewater treatment facility near the Pilliga forest. They were attached to each other through a metal pipe over the arm of the excavator and each had only one arm free.

The women were protesting the construction of the Leewood CSG wastewater facility and the broader plans for 850 CSG wells in the Pilliga forest. The government’s action in approving the facility last year without an Environmental Impact Statement is the subject of a court case, due for a directions hearing in the Land and Environment Court on Friday. Despite the court challenge over the legality of the facility, Santos have begun constructing it, triggering large scale peaceful protest led by Gamiliaraay Traditional Owners and local farmers, joined by people from around NSW and beyond.

The two women at yesterday’s protest attached themselves to machinery at 9am, calling for Santos to withdraw from the Narrabri gas project. By 9.40 police had arrived and all other protesters had been removed from the site. Only minutes after the police requested the women remove themselves, one of the officers had ripped off the sunglasses off Kerri Tonkin, yanked her head back by her hair and pepper sprayed her eyes at close range. Whilst Kerri was shocked, blinded and in extreme pain the two officers lifted her up and threw her over the arm of the excavator whilst her arm was still in the metal pipe.

Kerri Tonkin explains the experience. “Yesterday I was peacefully protesting to protect our land and water from coal seam gas. I was in a vulnerable position with only one arm free and without the freedom to move around. The actions of the police officers were excessive and dangerous. I’m surprised I did leave with a dislocated shoulder or a broken arm.”

Cyd Fenwick was locked with Kerri. “The escalation of the situation by police was sudden and excessive. Police had only just asked us to move before they used this force. There was absolutely no provocation from either of us to result in this heavy response.”

Naomi Hodgson said, “This action by the police is unacceptable: we simply cannot have a situation where Police officers believe they are empowered to physically assault members of the community that pose them no harm – no matter what the circumstances. We will be filing a complaint about this incident, but given the question marks over the legality of the Leewood facility’s environmental approval, and the widespread and committed opposition to it around the region, we’re calling on the NSW Govt to ask Santos to stand down until the court case is heard.

Lawyer for the two women Kira Levin of EDO NSW said “the use of Oleoresin capsicum spray by police at a peaceful environmental protest would appear to be excessive. There is a long history in Australia of police response to environmental protest and pepper spray has not been a part of it.”
Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Monday, February 01, 2016

St Brigits Day ... Imbolc

Happy St. Brigid's Day!

Today is the 1st of February which is the feast day of St Brigit in the roman church.  Many see the correlation to the more original tale of Brigit in Celtic traditions which have been around long before the Roman Church became Christianized.

St Brigit is seen now as a patron saint of Ireland but what were her origins before the Roman Church doctored the history to make it read the way they wished it to be seen. This fabrication has created a disconnection in the people with their divine nature and their way of keeping in good with it all.

Today on St Brigit's day crosses are woven in her name but they really point to a past when sun worship was the order of the day and a pagan origin, at that time Rome also worshiped the sun with the Mithra.

"Brigid's cross or Brigit's cross (Irish: Cros Bríde, Crosóg Bríde or Bogha Bríde) is a small cross usually woven from rushes. Typically it has four arms tied at the ends and a woven square in the middle. Historically, there were also three-armed versions. It is suggested that the cross has pre-Christian origins and is related to the sun cross.

Brigid's crosses are associated with Brigid of Kildare, one of the patron saints of Ireland. The crosses are traditionally made in Ireland on St Brigid's feast day, 1 February, which was formerly celebrated as a pagan festival (Imbolc) marking the beginning of spring. Many rituals are associated with the making of the crosses. Traditionally they were set over doorways and windows to protect the home from any kind of harm."
From Wiki


In Celtic polytheism and Irish mythology, Brigit, Brigid or Brighid (exalted one) is the daughter of the Dagda and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann.   She was the wife of Bres of the Fomorians, with whom she had a son, Ruadán.
As is often the case with Celtic deities who are described as threefold, she is seen as three sisters, all named Brigid, who perform various functions in society, such as healing, poetry and smithcraft.
The Dagda was a High King of the Tuatha Dé Danann after his predecessor Nuada was injured in battle. The Tuatha Dé Danann are the race of supernatural beings who conquered the Fomorians, who inhabited Ireland previously, prior to the coming of the Milesians

The Tuatha Dé Danann are a supernatural race in Irish mythology.  The Tuath Dé dwell in the Otherworld but interact with humans and the human world. Their traditional rivals are the Fomorians (Fomoire), who seem to represent the harmful or destructive powers of nature.

The Formorians are a supernatural race in Irish mythology.

 Imbolc has been associated with the goddess "Brigit" - a Celtic fire goddess. Imbolc celebrations often include large bonfires, or large quantities of candles light throughout the home. Meals served on this day are often heavy with cream.


Brigit's Cross - Happy Imbolc / Candlemas / St. Brigid's day
Source: Flickr
From Irish Central
Brigid is the fire-keeper of that flame of life that mothers tend to so that we don't die in the winter, and so the lines of family are not broken by the trauma of the cold months. In the winter, Brighid becomes the cailleach, the woman in agedness, and on Imbolc she collected the kindling of the fires that get her to the spring of regeneration.
Christian interpretation in Ireland makes Brigid into a nun, and children occupy themselves by taking bits of straw and weaving this potential-kindling into the shape of spiraling Brigid's crosses.
St. Brigid is said to have invented the cross herself while attending a sickbed and picking up rushes from the floor to craft them into a sacred cross.
Taking up the tradition in its many forms focuses the mind in the meditation of craft, and connects our winter minds mad at the cold to the great wheel that turns and is slowly bringing us into the spring of renewal.