Saturday, February 28, 2009

"Another shitty day in paradise"

what a beautiful day it is...the right amount of sunshine, blue skies, the perfect amount of breeze...the temp is just right

reminds me of those t shirts sold to locals and tourists alike praising Cairns with "Another shitty day in paradise"

gotta go move my guinea piggies...even though Im enjoying the sun, temp and breeze it just might be getting a bit too hot out there for them...time to move them into the shade and a lovely fresh patch of juicy grass

the doggies have the right idea...lazing in the shade

and ratties are all tucked away in their hammocks and terracotta hide a ways out of the sunshine

earlier, I thought briefly of basking out in the garden but my sun basking days are very limited now...I save them up for when there is no choice like a boat trip to the reef for swimming and snorkeling or some such treat

my views on religion are being brought out to the forefront today...I cant understand sometimes how an intelligent animal like a human falls for all that religious hocum pocum. Must be because it wasnt that long ago that we evolved sentient abilities and to explain the world and mortality we came up with 'god' and our desire for social connectedness propagated social rites and practices and of course the inherent desire in some for social power led to curbing unique thought and free thinking

my belief goes along these lines, taken from a post in yahoo I made earlier

Nature created me and all else in the universe

Nature, our true creator, is TRULY AMAZING

we already know that the human brain is more amazing than the most amazing computer we humans have yet been able to design...Nature CREATES the human brain and everything else in the universe so all of Nature's creation is truly amazing...Nature is far more incredible than a small part of her creation, us, can ever be

but Nature is NOT infallible...otherwise why are so many babies born with atrocious abnormalities in their DNA that makes them unable to function?

and certainly not compassionate...otherwise why are so many babies born with atrocious abnormalities in their DNA that makes them unable to function?

and certainly not sentient and intelligent...otherwise why are so many babies born with atrocious abnormalities in their DNA that makes them unable to function?

BUT...Nature is EXPERIMENTAL...Nature is CREATING here and now in every moment...Nature is continually creating the universe...so I see that sometimes Nature's creation works and other times it doesnt...

NATURE is FLUID...NATURE is alive in the here and now creating as we breath...it is commonly called Evolution

Nature = G.O.D.

G-generator
O-operator
D-destroyer

Nature, our true creator, eternal, all powerful, all present, non judging, all encompassing

why wont xtians and other religious pple see that Science and Nature are both so amazing...why do they insist on trying to explain the incredible facts with their silly ridiculous hocus pocus 'god' beliefs...why cant they just accept that Nature, all around them here and now creating as we think, is their true creator???
<;8( }~~~~

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Murder...and Justice?

Ive been reading and Utubing the Manson/Tate/LaBianca case. As a citizen and a human being I am very grateful and even proud of the Tate family and the families of other victims of these horrendous crimes for a consistent and tireless effort to keep the murderers in prison for life.

For many years I have felt impotent and frustrated that killers do not make retribution of equal value to their crime, ie, a life for a life. When 'life in prison' is handed down in sentencing I believe it to mean, in the case of cold blooded killing, LIFE in PRISON!! Not a number of years and then freedom.

Murder is a line that must NEVER be crossed. Anyone capable of crossing that line must never be trusted again. It is too risky to believe that a person capable of murder can become incapable of repeating the act. Psychological science has demonstrated clearly that once a human has performed a process it is easier to perform that process in future.

and WHAT of JUSTICE?????

Is justice done when a killer spends some time in jail and then is released on parole? I DONT THINK SO!!! The victim/s will never get a reprieve. They will never be 'paroled' from the grave. Their family and loved ones will never be paroled from the pain, grief and sorrow caused by the killer. Cold blooded killers must not be paroled...EVER!!! If even one killer released on parole kills again then that is too many!!!!

Sharon Tate, at such a young age, had all her adult life before her. The much anticipated experience of motherhood was right there about to unfold for her and it was heartlessly taken from her when she was horrifically, brutally slaughtered. That despicable event cast her family into unimaginable depths of horror and grief for the rest of their lives. The loved ones of Sharon Tate will live with the horror of a brutal undeserving death and nauseating sadness that surely must come from that for the rest of their lives...they were handed a true life sentence. Sharon will never get to experience the joys that awaited her should she have continued her life.

The killers must rightly remain in prison for the rest of their lives.

Susan Atkins has been to all appearances a model prisoner who has worked tirelessly to form a good public impression that in her hopes will lead to her release. She might very well be remorseful and wish to make amends as best she can and that is commendable, sure. There are plenty of killers in prison who do not live the exemplary prisoner life that Susan Atkins appears to live. But, she killed in cold blood....she showed NO Mercy to Sharon Tate and a child yet to experience taking its first breath and experiencing life as a human being in the world. It is hard to conceive how anyone could murder a pregnant woman and child, especially so close to birth. The child could hear, see, feel and was callously snuffed out inside its loving mother. That is something that cannot be dismissed.

Sussan Atkins must NEVER be released.

Her heinous crime is disgusting, atrocious, unspeakably, unimaginably despicable. Nothing she can do or say will ever make up for the torture she dealt to Sharon Tate or for what she has taken from those who loved and admired Sharon. The best Susan Atkins can hope for is that she lives a good life in the service of others, betters herself as a human being and comes to understanding of the crime she committed and assumes responsibility for them...in prison where she belongs.

Susan Atkins family currently appeals for her release on the grounds of mercy now that she is dying, but why should mercy be shown to Susan Atkins? She showed no mercy to Sharon Tate or her family? the bottom line...NO mercy for cold blooded killers.

Susan Atkins and other cold blooded killers should not even request freedom. I am appalled that anyone who has slaughtered another person would even imagine for a moment that they have any rights left to walk free. Susan Atkins, if she truly takes responsibility, if she fully recognises the magnitude of her actions, if she sincerely wishes to atone for her atrocious crime must NEVER request parole...to do so blatantly minimises the damage she caused in the lives of others. Appealing for parole is only continuing the pain and suffering for the victims' loved ones.

If Susan Atkins was truly remorseful she would never ask for parole but accept that she took a life and must therefore forfeit her own. If she accepts her punishment...a punishment that fits the crime...then she will use her life to set an example of what must happen to cold blooded killers. She could devote her life to accepting her punishment with grace, instead of putting the family members, the public and the judicial system through repeated financial and emotionally costly hearings. Susan Atkins could set an example to other criminals by accepting her fate, just as Sharon Tate had no choice but to accept the fate handed to her on the end of a blade by Susan Atkins, but instead Susan Atkins begs for her freedom. What remorse is there in that????

As a society we must take a very strong and committed stand against those who have so little value for others that they snuff out life without thought, other than to take pleasure in the process. For sure, noone commits murder because it makes them feel bad!!! At some level they selfishly relieve and/or pleasure themselves.

As a society we must take a strong committed stand against cold blooded murder. Murder in the first degree must be dealt a consequence to fit the crime....a life for a life.

Personally, I support the death penalty for first degree murder, but ONLY when there is NO doubt at all that those deemed 'guilty' actually committed the crime and I do not condone prisoners waiting on death row for years and years. In my view, once sentencing is handed down punishment must swiftly follow. Of course that raises issues that about the judicial system, it is not infallible and mistakes are easily made. Fortunately modern technology and forensics makes it less likely that innocent people will be mistakenly found guilty of first degree murder. If judicial systems were managed by best practise and operated in the best interests of humanity such mistakes might be rare indeed.

The death penalty has an inherent problem in that law enforcement runs with its own agenda at the sacrifice of truth and justice. In America, for example, it is possible to plea bargain down from first degree murder to a lesser charge just to get a conviction. A conviction that will inevitably lead to freedom. An outcome I find distasteful...cold blooded murderers must be dealt with at the highest level of retributive justice...a life for a life. The death penalty is problematic when innocent people are inadvertently convicted of crimes that they did not commit...however, this says more about law enforcement, legal representativeness and the judicial process than it does about truth and justice. While guilty rich hire quality lawyers to 'get them off', innocent poor can barely defend themselves in law at all. Thus, in the present system there is little hope that we really can comfortably and confidently rid ourselves of heinous blood thirsty killers and make our society safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Perhaps the best we can do presently is hand down sentences that fit the crime, make truth in sentencing and work on improving all aspects of the judicial system from policing to judging and incarcerating.

Safety must be the first consideration...anyone who commits first degree murder must be removed from society forever!!!!! Id prefer them to be put to death...a life for a life...and not draw on public money to house, feed, clothe, educate, etc. cold blooded killers. Perhaps the murderer, like Susan Atkins, can learn from their behaviour and turn their life around and focus themselves to contributing to society, but it must be done within the walls of a high maximum security prison...NOT out in the community - killers must forfeit that freedom. My preference is that she was put to death, along with the other Manson murderers, soon after her conviction .

It is financially draining to keep murderers in prison, but that is the lesser concern regarding long term imprisonment. Of major concern must be the pain and sorrow the current parole process continues to heap upon the family and loved ones of victims through having to deal with parole hearings again and again!!!! Retribution is also of concern...does the punishment fit the crime? I say, a life for a life. Take a life and forfeit your own, without exception!!! Everyone has a right to feel safe! Public safety must also top the list of priorities when dealing with those who murder in cold blood.

What is the purpose of the judicial system if not to protect us above all else from that which is a danger to our peace and safety?

Without truth of sentencing, what message is being sent to those who might engage in cold blooded murder? Make a plea, get a reduced charge and a lesser sentence, behave in prison and be back on the streets in no time? This is pretty much the current state of affairs and it HAS TO STOP!!!

Cold blooded killers must face consequences that are deterrent to a crime. In the case of first degree murder, a life for a life. Nothing else is an appropriate consequence for deliberately taking a life. NOTHING ELSE is an APPROPRIATE CONSEQUENCE!!! No debate, no parole...a life for a life. If we are not handing out a death sentence then let us at least make the consequence fit the crime. This serves retributive justice and is the only serious deterrence available. Anything less than truth in life sentencing makes a mockery of setting a deterrent and prolongs the suffering of victims of crime!!!!

Why should Sharon Tate and her unborn child's family have to brace themselves again and again to defend their position that the cold blooded killers must remain in prison. It is horrific to think that the damage the Manson murderers have caused to so many people continues and will continue until every one of the murderers has gone to their grave...not until then will the living victims of crime finally be able to heave a sigh of relief and get on with the sad remnants of their broken lives.

Victims of crime must have credibility in any process. In the case of cold blooded murder the family of those slaughtered are sentenced to a lifetime of pain and suffering....how did we as a society ever come to view a murderers' perspective above those who suffer irreparable loss as a result of murder? The victim of murder and their family and loved ones, as well as all citizens, must have their outrage at cold blooded murder addressed and have their basic right to feel safe satisfied. That is the purpose of the judicial system and why citizens bear its financial cost through payment of taxes.

Taxpayers dollars directed toward crime must support three primary agendas: Deterrence, retribution and above all, public safety.

Politics must be taken out of the judicial system. To work effectively justice must become a public process...I know lawyers will probably not agree, but it is well recognised that while the rich can afford expensive representativeness and the poorer cannot then there never will be true justice in society.

When humanity grows to reach potential in all those things that make us good then justice will be in the public interest and not driven by politics, notoriety, greed and cash

I have just a couple of further comments about the Manson killers. Leslie Van Houten still evades responsibility...she consistently makes excuses and puts responsibility for her involvement onto others!!! "...talked me into it" "...told me to..." "...I wouldnt have but..."

Leslie Van Houten must Never be set free. It is said that of all the Manson killers she is the most likely to achieve parole. I find that absolutely ludicrous. She so obviously avoids personal responsibility for her participation in the Manson family. When she does make statements of responsibility they are nothing more than 'lip service' and cannot be taken to seriously mean that she has faced up to and accepted that she made those choices.

She made those choices...no matter that they were not very wise choices and they led to imprisonment...or that she was on drugs...or under the influence of a charismatic psychopath ...or led to the Manson ranch by others...or any other of the many reasons she gives for excusing her participation. Leslie Van Houten must accept that she made the choices.

Leslie Van Houten MADE THEM...they are her choices...for whatever reason.

Now she must accept the consequences of having made those choices. The reasons are irrelevant, terrible blood thirsty and cruel murders were committed and she was a participant. She claims she didn't agree with the murders, but she did not go to the police and give herself up after. She would have gotten away with murder, literally, if not caught. Like all the Manson murderers, she is only sorry that she got caught and her freedom is taken in retribution. If she is truly remorseful, the best she can do to express that is to live her life gracefully by accepting responsibility, and make amends by relieving the victims' families of ongoing continual pain through the parole processes. Anything less is not good enough and does not demonstrate 'REMORSE'.

Remorse is best demonstrated by opting out of the parole process. Pleading for one's own freedom is not the act of a remorseful person!

The Manson murderers are only truly sorry, truly remorseful, that they got caught and are trapped in the consequences of choices they made, they continually deny and try to shift responsibility elsewhere. NEVER set them free!!! Never set any murderer free.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Sharks...Going...going...go...

SharkWater...Rob Stewart's award winning documentary is attitude changing. Ive been terrified of sharks since about the age of 18 when I realised that my love of the outer shoreline swells might very well be the death of me and the thought of being eaten was the stuff of nightmares.

Since then my ocean enjoyment has been severely cramped and limited to edge paddling and the occasional 5 seconds in and out in a state of fear and panic. Eventually I reconciled myself to freshwater clear creeks, very nice in themselves, but not quite the profound buzz of being carried up and up by a huge ocean swell.

I even believed that it was only right that we should hunt down and eliminate every shark in the ocean so that I could swim all the way to NZ if the fancy took me...well not that it would, but I could easily imagine swimming from one beach to the next. What an absolute pleasure that would be...swimming...swimming...swimming and totally oblivious of anything but the movement of the ocean and my body.

After viewing Rob's doco I am completely transformed...I realise that we owe our very breath to sharks and I am sad and fearful of their demise. I hope that we silly 'conceited naked apes' wake up in time and realise that we are not 'divine legends' and very much an animal sharing this planet but impacting on our own and other animals' futures moreso than any other single element in our current moment

hopefully we will evolve the sense and wisdom quick enough to save sharks, the environment and even ourselves...I hope so