Flood Relief and the Levy

Over the past 24 hours debate has been raging across the country as to whether or not we should pay an additional levy to pay for the damage caused by the recent flood disasters across Regional and South East Queensland. I believe the levy would also go part of the way to rebuilding required in Victoria and Western Australia but as the bulk of the rebuilding required to be undertaken is in QLD that is where the debate is focussed.

The Government is suggesting a levy associated with income taxes, which the Opposition has labelled "just plain dumb stuff" claiming that the Government should rather cut further spending than those cuts which will be required to be made along with the proposed levy to cover the cost of the floods.

You Make Me Vomit In My Mouth...

Miranda Devine; your "hard hitting" journalism is little more than trash talk of the over opinionated, under informed minority... The rest of us just can't drag ourselves away from witnessing such an amazing train wreck as your columns inevitably turn out to be.

Things that Made me Think...

The thing I hate most about blog-rolling is that travelling around the blogdom encourages my lack of direction and my inability to focus on what I am supposed to be doing!

Here are some posts (and sites) that have inspired me this week:

1. Unschooling after Death; even for a non-unschooling family this post raises some pertinent questions around the need to Life Insurance and which LI is appropriate to your needs. How much would your family's lifestyle be affected if the main breadwinner was suddenly lost? What about if the main home maker was lost? The financial implications may be lesser but what about the lifestyle implications?
2. Sandra Dodd's site was one that I constantly referred to whilst we were homeschooling our two older children. Unfortunately my own health issues ended that part of our lives, it is however something I'm definitely considering returning to with our youngest (and every time the older children have a negative school experience!) Kim reminded me of this through her lovely interview with Sandra this week.
3. Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, course search; well, this one actually has the mind boggling, it will help me make a final decision as to what course of study to take though.
4. I wish I could be more like Super Organiser Mum; what I love about this blog more so than other organiser blogs I've seen to date is that so many of Jade's ideas seem to be either multi-purpose or very easily re-purposed. I really should spend more time utilising Jade's ideas and less time reading about them!
5. DIY Kids: Making Beanbags at Childhood 101; Christie is an Early Childhood teacher and Mum who has a lot of ideas for great tactile, fun learning experiences.
6. The Art Eater; what a fabulous way to display children's artworks!
7. Budget Friendly Mod-Chandelier; I could make this!
8. Paper "Capiz Shell" Chandelier; or I could make this, or even...
9. this: Straw Cluster Chandelier.
10. Making all those lovely things will come right after I get the housework under control which will be much easier with the help of Kelly of Be a Fun Mum who once shared her To Do Lists for each room of the home.

This list was inspired by the interwebs.

Kindest Wishes,
AJ

Better Options or Own Opinions

There should be better choices for women considering abortion.

- Tony Abbott

Really Tony, why don't you say what you really mean? That women considering abortion are making a bad choice and should not even consider it.

What are the options for a woman considering abortion? I can think of very few; having the baby, having the baby adopted or choosing the abortion. For the WOMAN clearly abortion is the best option (emotionally) if an unwanted pregnancy befalls her, whether by choice, health (hers or the babes), rape. That is not to say it's the easy option; for I don't believe at all that it is easy. However, I believe it would be easier than raising a child you resent, dying in childbirth (her health), reconciling with having a child only to lose it to a still birth or raising a child with physical or mental inabilities (it's health.) There is no easy option; other than abstaining in the first place, however not every pregnancy is the result of a choice to engage in intercourse.

Abortion is a valid legal choice, to be made by each woman as suits herself and her personal circumstances. Each person has their own moral compass, their own beliefs and values, these may affect a woman's choice as to whether to seek an abortion but noone has the right to force their own morals on another, especially one in a State sanctioned position. I personally believe that once I have conceived I am carrying a child. Foetus does not figure in my personal vocabulary, however I have no right to enforce those same beliefs on my neighbour who believes that life starts at 24weeks gestation or her neighbour who believes life commences at birth.

I'm thankful not to be a lawmaker in cases where personal circumstances, beliefs and values are so important. It's a tricky situation indeed; for if a babe is not consider live until birth a death in utero caused by misadventure, neglect, accident or abuse cannot be pursued criminally. 'Tis indeed one of life's most grey areas.

One thing is clear however, in my opinion, religion has no place in politics in a free country.

(Source of quote.)