The Ethics of Public School Ethics classes

Last night I watched the Insight program on whether there is still a place for God in the classroom. It centred on the introduction of ‘Ethics’ classes for those students who do not attend Scripture – the one hour a week slotted religious instruction by community religious representatives for those students whose parents permit them to study their nominated religion. The audience -

Banning the Burqa - Here we Go Again

Today Channel 9 gave me the opportunity to respond to Senator Cory Bernadi's comments on Burqa wearing crime. Of course, of my seven great 6 second grabs, they took just two - and neither contained much information. Newstainment. Here is the fuller version of what I wanted to say.
The common Australian attitude is – why would anyone want to wear a burkha?

Comment - 'Accountability' - what a beautiful but impossible word

I love the word ‘accountability’! It is heard everywhere in the 21st century - whether in economics, politics or social relations. Is it really though, a modern concept? In reality was yesterday’s autocrat, dictator or rich noble less accountable than today’s politician, senior bureaucrat or billionaire? We are certainly

Fiction: "Sandy's Clinic - Part 1"

It was terribly hot and Sandy tried to sleep. She could hear the whispering in the room next door. Two of her kids were asleep, the third was with Joe - tending to the beans and feeding the guinea pigs. At least it was shady out there - in here it was as hot as a sauna.

The whispering became more energetic and Sandy had an uneasy feeling that the whispers were intended not just to avoid disturbing her and the two little ones, but to conceal something afoot.

Are parents too protective today?

I love listening to James Valentine. Every day he seems to hit on some relatively insignificant aspect of our lives and extend it, develop it and tease it out. It’s my intention, as often as possible to try and continue his discussions, musings and wonderings on my blog. Please feel free to criticise, discuss, pull apart or even AGREE (remarkably) with my contribution.

Today he was talking generally - I came in a little late - about the protectiveness we have of our kids, comparing ‘the way it was when we grew up’ with ‘today’, relatively speaking. Immediately I thought of all the little barriers I am putting up around my home for my grandchildren.

Cordoba mosque revisited

My second day in Cordoba was less dismal – the first day being so sad at the loss of so much history and beauty with the Cordoba mosque. Walking first across the bridge to the Tower I was able to listen to an English commentary of the historical displays relating the history and more importantly the philosophy involved in the development of Cordoba and some of its scholars. It was also fascinating to learn that Al Mesquita was itself built on an existing Visigothic church, as apparently Abdur Rahman I settled in Cordoba when it was controlled by the Visigoths who agreed to lease part of their church – including Roman ruins – to him.

Medinat Al Zahra

Today I visited Medinat al Zahra – the excavated city built in the tenth century and later buried only to be discovered in the early 1900’s. This was the most well organised and pleasant tour so far with a very friendly guide who alternated effectively between English and Spanish for his customers. A large air conditioned bus took us from Cordoba city to the large parking area at the base of the excavated city. Comprising over 100 hectares of which only one tenth has been excavated, the excavating team has constructed a museum some distance from the recovered site in order to allow for continued excavation over the years. An excellent video presents an animated explanation of the history of Medinat al Zahra, with interactive displays visually highlighting the existing topography alongside