TESSA WORLEY , the SKI Champion !

Tessa Worley , today won the World Championship in the Reisen Slalom Event , for France , at the 2013 Schladming World Alpine Ski Championships . Interviewed after the event on ORF1 , she related her elation in English . This should come as no surprise to those that know that her father is an Australian . This fact was relayed to me when i met her , in Sestriere , when i was there as a Volunteer , working on the Race Piste as a Slipper ,  with both the Olympic & Paralympic Winter / Torino Games in 2006 .

At that time , i mentioned that i had met Zali Steggall at St Anton in 2001 , when she won the World Championship Special Slalom Event . We were on the Chair lift with her Mother when i started a conversation that led to her saying her father was an Australian and that she was aspiring to ski in the French National Ski Team . When i mentioned this conversation top some Aussies , they said that she had a better chance of progressing with her career , whilst in the French Team . They were correct in that , now we look back and see her steady progression through this season .

Whilst watching the scenes of jubilation , that occured , as Tessa waited for the end of the first run , of the first 30 skiers , i noticed @julian lizeroux , in the French Group . I had earlier had a chuckle as i watched Austrian TV , ORF 1 , interview Alberto Tomba . Being the SKI Icon that he is , he refused to use the German that he is able to speak . Bruno the Italian , that used to be his Manager / Trainer , thus translated the German / Italian content .  At Bormio in 2008 whilst chatting in English with " La Bomba " , we were interupted by someone we both knew and that convo was in German . Perhaps he wanted to avoid too long an Interview today ?

Shortly after this ,  i spotted #59 , skiing her first run , and Greta Small was unable to make it into the first 30 starters for the second run , so as to be sure of being on TV . As luck would have it , we got glimpses of her skiing into 45th place , some 10secs in arrears of Tessa  . Shortly after we saw the New Zealander , lose control on her run , it would be a DNF for her .

Tainting today's news , is the relevation , concerning Oscar Pistorius . Noted the Paralympic issued the following statement :          http://t.co/Jn7mHp1A

The great disappointment , that many will experience , is that he was responsible for changing so many peoples' perception of Disabled Sport . He fought hard for many years , for the right to be treated as a " Normal Athlete "! Attending London 2012 Olympics , as an Athlete , then going onto the Paralympic Games , as an Athlete , was certainly an extraordinary achievement . He had to miss the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a result of missing the qualification standard by a few tenths of a second .

Incuídental to all this , is the sponsorships that he has garnered because of his Sporting Triumphs . As i finish this post tonight , CNN show twice , within minutes a Self Promotion Ad , featuring many World Renowned Personalities . Amongst these , after President Jimmy Carter , until now , you will see Oscar saying "My Voice, My Right , My Voice Counts "!  Wonder when this ad will be removed , or , amended ?

Gun Control is a subject that i have covered in many Posts and one thing that i am sure i mentioned , was the statistical imbalance created by the presense of Guns in the home .  Seems likely that , this was another occasion where , things got out of control and unfortunate results were the outcome . US Government Authorities are presently trying to legislate for New Laws , to control access to Guns . As they debate , there continues to be loss of life , some of those losses would have been  preventable , had the " Loopholes " been closed earlier !

Watching the " State of the Union Address " given by President Barack Obama , 12th Feb , it would have been clear , how many lives were lost , even since his Inaugeration , and before that when the Sandy Hook Massacre , focused the world on this US Dilemna !

Seeing Gabby Giffords shuffle into the Senate Hearing last week , should have been enough , to remind the Law Makers of " There but for the Grace of God , GO I "!

ONLY in the USA !

Los Angeles is at the cutting edge when it comes to " taking an Initiative "! Normally May each year , there is a " Collection of Weapons , thus generating " Gift Coupons " as a reward ! $100 " gift Voucher for Hand Guns , etc and $200 for Assault type weapons . Last May somewhere around 1700 items were exchanged on a " No Questions asked basis .

Due to the Newtown Atrocity , a new " Collection of Weapons " is reported to have begun ! How can anyone justify an " Anti Tank Gun " , in their possession ? Can you imagine how anyone could take this item out in public , let alone hunting ? Could it have been a souvenir of a member of the " Armed Services ? Not the sort of item that any "Right thinking Person " would keep in their home , let alone in an unlocked storage facility ? In a previous Blog Post , i had suggested that Weapons be turned in at the National Guard in return for a " Tax Rebate "! Costs the Government , little , to forego some revenue ! Seems that the Los Angeles Initiative gets results over the years , wonder why this is not a more common occurance  throughout the USA ?

When Australia enacted Legislation for " Gun Control in 1996 , there was also a " Buy Back Scheme ": There were penalties for " Possession of a Sanctioned Weapon " after a certain date , but , i am sure most owners were happy to take the " Rewards on Offer "!  Tax Rebates , may not be as attractive as giving " Gift Vouchers " , but they will mean less chance of people not complying with Legislation .

CNN reports another Initiative that i believe is worthwhile . A Newspaper , " Journal news ",  has printed a listing of ALL Gun Permit Owners in TWO Counties of New York State . this is backed up by an " Interactive  Map " !   This Interactive Map  allows you to Zoom in on ALL your neighbours , this info being compiled from Public Information . Naturally , there is now a controversy regarding the " Rights & Wrongs " of this " Public spirited Action "!  Some families will now be perusing those lists , checking to see whether the Childrens " Friends " , are listed , deciding whether they have issues about their Children visiting those premises ?

On the Contra side there are those suggesting the " Criminal Elements " will be able to utilise this info , for their benefit ? Looking to obtain some weapons , or knowing who can be regarded as " Defenceless " , are just a few of the ideas floated as justification for this Initiative , NOT being utilised by others releasing similar information elsewhere .

CONGRESS is supposedly returning to Washington before the New Year , WHAT is stopping them from following Los Angeles and using the " Legislation appied THERE " , to create an IMMEDIATE " BUY BACK Scheme " in their States and " Districts "?

Are these politicians SO COWARDLY that they want to see more " Giffords , more NEWTOWNS , more "First Responders " massacred ?

WHY are people not on the phone to their ELECTED REPS , demanding INITIATIVES  and ACTION TODAY ?

Are you going to sit back after reading this and NOT VISIT :  http://www.demandaplan.org/

COWARDICE !

An emotional President , Barack Obama , stood at the Podium last night , distressed to the point of being unable to articulate his feelings ! When he walked away from the podium to his office , what were his thoughts ? We ALL know who the " real culprits " of this sad occasion are ! Even people like me , an outsider without " Offspring " knows that the future is the " YOUNG "!

News Networks are swarming all over this story , clamouring for their " take " on WHY this tradegy was allowed to happen . Money and " Vested Interests " is why this latest tradegy has come about . As i wake this morning , i have seen Sky News , AlJazeera , CNN and BBC World News Networks put forward their " experts " , to attempt to explain the motivations of the perpetrator , of this the latest , of so many outrages .

As an Australian i cast my memory back to the " Tasmanian Event ", 95 lives lost in that " killing spree "! As a visitor to the USA , i have been in the neighbourhood of this latest incident , and since the 1966 Austin Tradegy , so many of these incidents have occured in areas that i have visited at some time over the years . Even the U.K. has had the " Dunblane Infants School " event , where 16 youngsters lost their lives !  That alone ,should have sent the message throughout the world ?  Holland and France  are other Countries , that have suffered these Heinous Tradegies .

President Barack Obama , YOU alone can solve the problem in the USA ! The National Rifle Association Board Members should be rounded up , TODAY , walked through the corridors of Newtown's Elementary School , BEFORE the bodies are removed ! When these people see the results , of their intractable opposition to any reform of the US Gun laws , then cast their minds over how they would feel , if it were their Family Members , lying there , would they oppose SENSIBLE GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS ?

The National Rifle Association has so much money to THREATEN every Politician , that NO POLITICIAN is willing to risk their career to oppose them ! " Pax America " is the World's Policeman , in the main it does a good job , BUT , how can you Police the world , when there are so many problems at Home ?  Certainly a GUN does not operate by itself , just as a car cannot maim , by itself !  Here is not the place to make arguments " For and Against Gun Control "!

The Second Amendment of the US Constitution provides US Citizens with RIGHTS !  HOW much effort is required to repeal this Amendment ? Throughout the World people are using Social Media to express their Outrage and Sorrow for the results of this UNNECESSARY ATROCITY ! Time people stopped thinking about ways to safeguard " Children " , BUT , about ways to CLOSEDOWN those that prevent the enactment of Legislation to repeal the 2nd Amendment !

How many more communities must have this HORROR  visited on Families of Children ? Put yourself in the shoes of a Board Member of the National Rifle Association and ask YOURSELF if you would release funds to fight President Obama , when he introduces Legislation to Repeal the " 2nd Amendment "?

When Barack Obama walked onto the Podium , he was behaving as a parent , he let the World see how much he cared for his Two children and Michelle his Wife ! He said that there will be action to deal with this situation . No doubt , back in his office , after quiet reflection , he would have started to work the phones , calling in support for the Initiatives , that he MUST take , to prevent countless repetitions , of these senseless incidents .

Make no mistake , this is ONLY the latest example , of this continual stream , of " publicity seeking mentally disturbed individuals "!  People with " issues ", seek ways to show others , their particular concerns . Even now , as i write this post  , i see CNN's  , Piers Morgan , interviewing a " Class mate " , seeking a view of the perpetrator's personality and his background whilst at school and the time since  . Now the Experts are saying that there are TWO types of perpetrator . Either " Sociepaths " or " Brain Damaged " individuals , for me this is not the answer since EVERYBODY is UNIQUE !  " Basking in the Glory of their ACTION "? Each " expert " has their OWN take on each Tradegy ! One of these Experts said that " America "  FAILED the " Mentally ILL "! The other said " This event is statistically Extremely Rare "!

The title of this post " Cowardice " comes about , because TOO MANY PEOPLE , choose to avoid deciding to ACT ! This applies to the whole cross section of the Community , those Elected to Office as well as the Voters ! People in the USA seem to have only a choice of Republican and Democratic Candidates when National Elections take place , YOU as a Voter , need to decide you will only Vote for the Candidates  that will Vote against the Interests of the " GUN LOBBY "!

Statistically speaking , an unproved fact , 3 times more people will act aggressively when they have a GUN in their house ! In this modern world , why is it necessary to have a Gun in the house ?  Certainly , a small percentage of homes are raided by criminal elements , occasionally these perpetrators will be carrying guns and willing to utilise them to avoid detention .

At the risk of offending people , NOBODY outside Law Enforcement Personnel , require firearms ! Even farmers in areas where wild animals roam do not require " firearms "! They can choose to avoid these areas and when they need to " cull " , obtain the necessary permits .

" GUN CONTROL " is an emotive issue , so much so that the Piers Morgan Show has deteriorated into a Shouting Match "! " NRA " are described as " Enablers of Mass Murder " amongst other things !  The " Gun Lobby " has to change their way of thinking so that Mr & Mrs America can live at peace !

My only adverse contact with guns , accured in 1988 when i was driving in Sydney . Driving north along Castlereagh Street , mid morning , i saw a long haired man , pull a hand gun and shoot another in the leg ! The shot man was wearing the uniform of a " Security Company ", thus carrying a holster on his belt . As he collapsed the perpetrator , removed the pistol and started to run down the street . Carrying a " hands free phone " in the Van i called the Police and persued giving directions as the culprit changed direction several times . It felt like hours , but obviously , only minutes , and several times i ducked , thinking a bullet was going to come my way . Eventually the man ducked into a building , at which time a warrant card was flashed at my window and i passed information to the Detectives arriving on the scene . Regretably the culprit exited the back of the building so the matter was left in suspence for some months . Eventually caught , he was sentenced to 7years , after witnesses such as myself gave evidence in court .

Created the following Petition ;

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/president-of-united-states-of-america-repeal-the-2nd-amendment#invite

Whilst YOU may not like the choice of words , support this action OR create a better way FORWARD !

NB I regret to say , that i did not wish the Grieving Parents , the Space to grieve without the World invading their Privacy . Not having been a Parent , i have no idea of what they are suffering .

So far there is no sign of the names of the casulties and R.I.P. seems so inadequate ?

President Obama in speaking as a Father and Parent said the following :

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/14/obama-statement-shooting-newtown-connecticut-text


BY SIGNING THE Petition above YOU can contribute to the impetus needed for ACTION !

BRISBANE FLOODING

"It's breaking our hearts but it will not break our will", the words of Anna Bligh, Queensland Premier as reported on Austria Radio today !

Watching CNN , BBC World , etc , i have seen in the past fortnight reports of the Police demanding people not to drive into flood waters and yet daily i see this activity shown. What is it with these people that decide they know better ?

Awoke to the news of Flash Floods in Toowoomba and flooding in Brisbane and the possibility that they will reach the same level as 1974 .


That there were lessons to be learnt then is a certainty but that there was no application of this knowledge is a crime that current residents will pay the price and unfortunately it will be a heavy burden to many. When this flood is over will the building codes be changed to avoid a repeat in the next flood which Mother Nature will send as surely as night follows day.Vested interests have obviously been in play and of course "She'll be right mate" got in on the act also.

Just watched BBC World News report of the devastation in Toowoomba which included a live interview with a resident that shot video of the little creek behind his office . Anyone thinking that they can defeat the power of nature are out of their mind .

Seeing the creek flowing like a torrent reminded me of the Boxing Day Tsunami which took in excess of 250000 lives several years ago. Doubtlessly the authorities were unaware and certainly ill prepared for an event such as this but Mother Nature (Anna Bligh's description) behaves as she chooses and overwhelms man's puny defences at will. David Jutson's video demonstrated this as the creek rose and flushed cars and vans downstream and parked the vehicles like toys that a petulent child had finished playing with , littering the area where they came to rest stacked on their noses or rears like dominoes . Insurance companies will have nightmares sorting out the claims from this incident alone , would not like to be a "Name" at Lloyds currently.