Posted by: donallan on: 8 May 2012
Published in The Chronicle, Canberra, every Tuesday at: chronicleonline.com.au Is Australian democracy in decline? I ask because the democracy that evolved during Australia’s first 150 years instead of continuing to evolve seems to have stalled. That it has stalled is because since politics became the dominant philosophy, democracy has been forced to take a back [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 21 March 2012
First Posted The Chronicle, Canberra,Tuesday 19 March, 2012 A long catalogue already exists of days that commemorate local people and important local and national events: a prime example of the latter: ‘Sorry Day.’ That said, I do not want to see that list extended to include days just for the purpose of satisfying the egos [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 29 February 2012
First posted The Chronicle, Canberra, Tuesday 28 February, 2012 The next ACT Assembly is a chance for Canberra voters to decide if they want a change in how the Territory is governed after asking themselves two simple questions: 1. Are they totally satisfied with the current government? 2. Do they think a change of government [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 23 February 2012
First published The Chronicle, Canberra,Tuesday 21 February 2012 Today, sadly, some peoples’ grasp of language is so tenuous they seem to think that unless they use expletives, no one will understand their feelings about particular issues. In support of their position they argue that because expletives are often used in conversation between two men, two [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 2 February 2012
Published The Chronicle, Canberra, Tuesday January 31, 2012 The budget and Grandma’s Lye soap Whenever I hear politicians promise to make sure older people have a good life,help people with a disability and a multitude other problems, Johnny Standley’s old gospel style song ‘Grandma’s Lye soap’ comes unbidden to mind. The song “Remember Grandma’s Lye [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 21 December 2011
First published The Chronicle, Canberra, Tuesday 20 December, 2011 Although agnostic I like Christmas, as do most Canberrans. People who don’t, it seems to me, are people short of the spirit of giving and happy childhood memories that, at Christmas, overcome the sad memories such as periods of personal sickness, death of a sibling or [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 15 December 2011
This is the unabridged text of the article published Tuesday 13, 2011 in The Chronicle, Canberra. The Chronicle, best for Canberra’s community news is published every Tuesday. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, repetition is surely the ultimate form of boredom, a condition I experience many times as I surf the net, scan [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 24 November 2011
First published The Chronicle, Canberra, Tuesday 22 November, 2011 Christmas will soon be here and even if not a Christian more than likely you will follow the tradition of giving people you love a Christmas gift even if not members of your own family. Indeed for many people, Christmas Day is that day in the [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 10 November 2011
First published The Chronicle,Canberra, Tuesday, 8 September, 2011 If there are billions of galaxies in the great, expanding universe with billions of galaxies and millions of planets with civilisations, perhaps we might be wise to start thinking seriously about how important earth really is in the galactic scheme of things? This topic should give Canberra’s [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 15 October 2011
Originally published www.onlineopinion.com.au Friday, 14 October 2011 As a former Canberra Branch President of Friends of the ABC, I write, reluctantly, that ABC radio and Radio National in particular, seems to have become the propaganda arm of the same sex marriage movement. But what finally made me overcome my reluctance to write was ‘Encounter,’ Sunday morning [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 13 October 2011
Original article published in The Chronicle Canberra, Tuesday, 11 October, 2011 As my columns are usually about politics, some people might be surprised by this one. It is not about politics but a Golden Wedding celebration that brought home to me why marriage is that union of man and woman that confers on them the [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 29 September 2011
This is the uneditedversion of the article published in The Chronicle, Canberra, Tuesday 27 September, 2011 Few people go through life without experiencing disability. Some examples: being confined to bed with flu or broken a leg or temporarily blind. A temporary loss of voice would also be ability even though it might make life more pleasant for [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 22 September 2011
Unedited version of the article published The Chronicle, Canberra, Tuesday, 20 September 2011 On my first visit to Australia more than fifty years ago I gained the impression that Australia was a country without a class system. At the time, I was impressed by the fact that it seemed to have done something that seemed impossible in the [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 8 September 2011
First published The Chronicle Tuesday 6 September 2011 After many failed applications for membership of Canberra’s Disagreement Club (not to be confused with The Disagreeable Club) I am pleased to say that according to e-mails from Canberrans claiming to be experts on the subject of disagreement my application for membership is to be reconsidered. I [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 1 September 2011
First published The Chronicle, Canberra, Tuesday 30 August,2011 When elections get closer, politicians not only say they have the answers to existing problems but also policies that will ensure these problems won’t occur again. If only one could believe them. Forgive my scepticism but these statements are merely the re-iteration of statements that politicians make [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 19 August 2011
I invite serious comment on this blog Without knowing anything about me some people call me homophobic because I oppose same sex marriage. As a believer in free speech they can call me what they like though more years ago than I care to remember, I gave up the childish game of name-calling. That said [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 10 August 2011
A brief note to respondents of Allan Takes Aim. Even if your comments are critical please feel free to pass the blog to whoever you think might be interested. And now here is the original unedited version of the blog published in The Chronicle, Canberra, Tuesday 9 August 2011. Happy reading It saddens me to say that fear is becoming [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 27 July 2011
First published The Chronicle Canberra Tuesday 26 July 2011 My home bookshelf is filled with a range of books many of them non academic in content. But some people in Canberra fill their bookshelves with ‘classics,’ hoping that visitors will think them people of learning. Unfortunately I’ve seen these people filled with embarrassment when, on [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 16 June 2011
First published The Chronicle, Canberra, Tuesday14 June, 2011 The original 99 Club established in New York in the 1890’s was dedicated to alleviating the plight of the city’s poor. Later, more clubs were established in the US and around the world but not all on the same basis as the original. To the delight of [...]
Posted by: donallan on: 2 June 2011
First published The Chronicle Canberra ,Tuesday, 31 May, 2011 Is the science of global warming settled as alleged by the scientists of the IPCCC, or are the sceptics who challenge the science right? Many people who know nothing of the science say the IPCC is right when they experience summer in winter and spring in autumn. [...]
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