Gosh Brian,

To start with you could have spelled (sic) Tony's name correctly and then perhaps worked on correcting the national broadband (not the fibre optic rollout as you mispronounce) Vis 'Tony Abbot has studied Latin and Ancient Greek. An interesting and probably enjoyable mental exercise, but it did nothing to warn him against making bizarre statements regarding climate change and the national optic fibre rollout.'

You then espouse 'While others thought her way of speaking as being cute, as a reader of the new books of revelation, I saw the wonder in it. I was aware that I was observing the results of the neural networks in her speech centres being steadily hardwired - seemingly by the week. This was not cute. This was awesome.'

Talk about double speak, you reverse any relevance and thought by referring to the bible and then claim progress through natural selection and its myriad miracles!!

I am totally confused, perhaps you could drill-down into the real reason for this post, you obviously have a problem with students learning a second language.

In my opinion, language, art, philosophy, religion, social sciences, history, geography and so many other academic avenues of awareness are now defunct, we are at the limits to growth, humans including both you and I, are too stupid to understand our growth mantra and the need for more. Humans, like our ancient ancestors the apes, are preconditioned to accept a better life when possible, unfortunately our planet is demonstrating what life in a petri-dish is really all about.

We live on a finite planet and there is no, and I repeat no evidence, that we have evolved to a level that will see rational discourse and action to prevent the failure of our species, whether in the short, medium or long-term.

Enjoy your retirement Brian, I think you need it.

So Abbott is 'scientifically illiterate ' because he is not part of the warmist club. He understands that science includes questioning fraud, deceit and self interest. Maybe its time Brian learn't a little from the Rhodes scholar. It may however take a little humility which becomes harder as one gets older.

Sorry Runner,

as usual your blinkered version of science, particularly climate science is compleley wrong, as per your orthodix (sic) religious fervour.

Read a little peer reviewed science and you may eventually become 'enlightened' however, given your myopic view on everything relevant will preclude any factual argument either way.

talk about dumbing down a conversation

Geoff you talk of dumbing down and yet you write

' Humans, like our ancient ancestors the apes, are preconditioned to accept a better life when possible, unfortunately our planet is demonstrating what life in a petri-dish is really all about. '

There is not much dumber than that.