It is seven years since our inception, and the Greypath community is now the leading world seniors site. We hope you enjoy your visit, and, to take advantage of all of the offerings here, do join up as a member. (It's free).
We will continue to work to bring you what you want in a web site, so if you have any ideas, your comments will be most welcome.
Should we expect any better behavior from our politicians than we see anywhere else?
The answer is yes, we pay them well to represent the nations best interests and in particular their constituencies.
We also pay them, with the implied expectation that they will set an example of exemplary behavior, throughout their term.
If they can’t do this, they should be sacked.
While most meet the test, many do not seem to do so, and in principle, it’s time perhaps, that we had an independent national body to oversee behavior at Federal, State and Council level, investigate alleged breaches, and be able to terminate, without recourse, those found wanting.
I recently had the good fortune to attend a lecture by Professor Peter Singer in Melbourne. Peter is a world known ethicist, and probably Australia’s leading philosopher. He posed many very uncomfortable problems for his audience. His central thesis seemed to be that we have both an internal moral compass and an intellectual one. The internal one comes from our evolutionary path, (co-operation for survival, natural aversion to inbreeding etc). The intellectual moral compass however poses all of the real problems for us. Do animals have rights? If not why not? Should we use genetics to grow perfect people, or people for specialist roles? Should we repair genetic abnormalities? The line is ill defined once the questions begin. For me I think that whatever we do is natural as a species evolves, (intellectual compass), no matter how uncomfortable it may be for me personally, (moral compass). We seniors with our greater life experience have a role to play in this public debate and your comments here would be most welcome
[In passing we have a quite good free course on ethics in the Lyceum]
For me, nation building projects aren't a freeway diversion or a six kilometre underground train link to Footscray. Nation building projects are those which capture our national imagination like the Snowy River Scheme did.
I think the Federal Government missed the main chance here...
Digging a channel from Spencers Gulf to Lake Eyre to keep it filled forever, or a grand circumnational rail link, or a superhighway and railroad across the red centre from Brisbane to Perth, carrying coal one way and iron ore the other, is what we are after if we are excite us all with a national vision and solidarity. Dressing up localised routine infrastructure needs, as something very special, doesn't cut the mustard.
The broadband intitiative is fine, but doesn't reach out to the soul of the nation.
Last week a little three year old girl presented me with a cup cake from a tray she had made for her grandmothers birthday. I said “That’s great, why don’t you make batch for your kinder?”
Boy am I out of touch with this new world order of ours!
Her parents instantly corrected me saying that it was now not possible to do such without a food preparation certificate, and also that they needed a police check and working with children licence if they wished to attend the kinder and help out in any way.
I work as marine area volunteer, and have a current original project seeking to help disabled children experience the water, snorkeling, canoeing and just being wheeled through it in special plastic chairs. The insurance and similar un natural hurdles, have almost extinguished any hope of me helping them.
How much have we lost in Australia, due to this ridiculous litigious and bureaucratic situation that has a risen?
Time to do a few things it seems. It’s time perhaps to have the Federal Government take over and simplify such Not For Profit group insurances, and to bring back a sensible level of self responsibility for us all.
Volunteering is the lifeblood of community services in Australia. One in five seniors is a volunteer. Such selfless actions range across the board from meals on wheels, community clean ups, CFA, friends of parks groups, school committees, carers, and much more. I recently proposed to the Federal Goverment that, in principle, volunteers with ten years service should be recognised with the award of a medal. I was advised that the Australian Honours and Awards system, (so very restricted), local MP's certificates, and local council initiatives, well covered the matter. I do not believe that this is so, and that, as with many other subsets of our society such as the CFA and SES workers, general volunteers warrant a more serious national approach in recognising their valued services.
2. Discover the very first women to sit in the nine Australian parliaments in the WHM 2009 Gallery feature, Pioneering parliamentary women.
3. Find an event near you, on the WHM 2009 Calendar. We are specially pleased to welcome participating bookshops this year - these include Avid Reader in Brisbane, Gleebooks and the Feminist Bookshop in Sydney, and Mary Martin Bookshop in Adelaide.
4. If you are visiting beautiful autumnal Canberra, you will find special Women's History Month displays at Paperchain Bookstore in Manuka, and the bookshops at Parliament House, Old Parliament House, the National Portrait Gallery, and the National Library. And don't miss the launch of Women Parliamentarians in Australia 1921-2009 at Parliament House on Tuesday 17th March, with an address by Professor Marian Sawer on why 'Women's work is never done'.
We have been great supporters of ASCCA since its inception, and think that in many locations around the country you may benefit from their help in getting a new club up and running...
If you look at the Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association Website http://www.ascca.org.au/ – you will see the statement, “ASCCA is the national peak body for seniors and technology”.
OK that sounds good, but what does it actually mean?
It means you can obtain assistance in establishing a computer club for seniors anywhere throughout Australia where a need exists.
There is also support and assistance to existing clubs, with the development of resources – such as training manuals; help in networking between the 140 member clubs throughout Australia and other seniors organisations and corporations; and liaising with all tiers of government.
COTA Over 50s applauds the PM’s latest budget initiative wherein seniors around Australia will be able to access new transport concessions when they travel interstate after January 1st as a new national scheme rolls out.
The Australian Government has offered almost $50 million over four years to State and Territory Governments so that they can provide concessions to Seniors Card holders who are using public transport services outside their home state.
Until now, Seniors Cards have entitled the card holder to public transport concessions in their home state.
“This means that seniors travelling interstate can now access cheaper fares on local public transportation”, said Dr Geoffrey, Executive Director, COTA Over 50s.
“Seniors from the Northern Territory can enjoy discount travel to Sydney, including a “seniors” ferry ride around Sydney Harbour”. They will also benefit from bus and train travel concessions.
“So seniors with Seniors Cards, which are issued by each state and territory government to people over the age of 60 and working less than fulltime, can now use public transportation to see the “lucky country”.
When fully operational, over 3 million Australians who hold Seniors Cards will enjoy these benefits.
Needless to say, this initiative will also help individuals, communities and businesses that rely on tourism.
Everything to do with technology is easy if you know, and diabolically hard if you don't.
Last night someone left my committee with a laptop and projector for a film evening, saying no help was needed and that it was a straight forward set up..
After some angst and many contributions from the members here’s what we found out about this éasy’ set up.
1. You must turn the projector on BEFORE the laptop, or the laptop will not find it.
2. The projector’s ON button must be pressed twice! The first time it turns it on, and the second time activates it!
3. The cable from the projector to the laptop has the same plug on each end but will only send data if the right way around. (There is an initially unnoticeable faintly embossed PC and P at either end in the black rubberized plug surrounds).
4. The correct end of the cable must go into option socket two, not the nearest and most obvious option one. Neither is marked accordingly. They both fit well and nothing is colour coded.
And they wonder why I get cranky at times !!!!
