Letter to the "The alchemist". I adore you, especially for the yummy science lesson. Happy New Year and TA!

Gayle Rogers ponificates generalisations from the lofty rule of political and electoral procedures and then makes no specific remarks to why the she thinks previous bloggers are an ignorant abyss.

Could Gayle really be Greg Barns in drag?I say this because Gayle has suddenly materialised from cyber space in defence of Greg with no previous bloggs recorded on OLO.Graham would soon know since he could track the email back to a single computer.Oh the intrigue!Is Greg feeling the blow torch of his flawed perceptions?

How about some specific examples Gayle and not just generalised innuedos that try to paint us as some lower form of troglodytes.

Australias image is being further damaged by an assistant professor from Woolongong University - Peter Kell, writing articles from the same political position as Greg Barnes in the Jakarta Post.

We have people such as Greg Barnes and Peter Kell stirring up racist anger here and in Indonesia about Australia being a racist country.

Is it any wonder Indonesians hate Australians when they read rubbish like this. Obviously these type have a subversive left wing political agenda. The real enemy of Australia is within our own borders, and it's not the Howard Govt they believe is the culprit, but themselves.

Arjay, regardless of being almost 6ft tall when wearing a pair of strappy black slingbacks, I'm all woman, baby and not easily confused with the tall, dark and difficult one from Hobart. In addition, I can't imagine that Greg Barns would ever contemplate hiding behind a nickname in order to express his views and nor would I so it appears you are wrong on all counts.

I used "in the name of expediency" in my original post for good reason so there's no need for further comment there.

I've read OLO for some time and have enjoyed many articles and the further reading they have inspired me to undertake. I made my first post yesterday as I was so surprised at some of the comments; not the opinions - as I believe everyone has a right to their own whether I agree or strenuously disagree - but the underpinning inaccurate assumptions about the way our system works.

In the name of goodwill this time I'll give you one example. We already have in place a system of government that incorporates Ministerial Responsibility and Accountability so there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Community dissatisfaction stems not from a lack of a workable system but from the 'leadership' of the first Prime Minister in our history to totally ignore such responsibilities for transparent and accountable decision making. The effects of such a position held over a decade are slow to surface but robust and devastating to health of our democracy.

I'm sure Ros Kelly (the now whiteboard phobic former Hawke Govt Minister) thinks of this daily.

Finally I've never believed that wanting to be better informed is a lofty pursuit or position to hold - just logical and reasonable.
And hopefully I'm not alone.

Take care,

Gayle. (not Greg)

Well, Mr Barnes, I certainly despair of the country in which you live. Why is it exactly that you get out of bed in the morning?
You live in a pigsty? That must be very unpleasant for you but I am sure that with the right amount of application you should be able to work your way out of it. Hope Paul's Zegna suit is dry cleanable
Does it ever cross your mind that this sort of diatribe actually promotes cross-cultural antagonism?
The sooner that self-appointed social judges, such as yourself, have gone the way of the dodo the sooner that real change will be possible.

This is off topic I know - however Baoz mentioned the march of uncontrolled economic rationalism and the selling off of Australia - I only mention it as Berri - once a famous Australian name - has been recently sold to a Philipinnes interest.

Add that to the Free Raid Agreement between us and the USA (5% down on exports and 5% up on US imports) - you really get something that threatens "our", what ever it is, way of life.

And we must remember this things aren't stolen from us "we" or at least those who have got something to sell, sell them off - that is truly the Autralian way.

And when you've got squillions the notion of social cohesion and harmony dont bother you overly much as the clamour in the streets rarely floats to the top of the penthouse suites.

The rest of this ballyhoo is a side show. Much like Mr Barnes in this instance.

And now they are reviewing the ammnedment geared to protect the PBS from the rapacious drug companies and their evergreening strategy - I trust the sugar lobby is asking our Government to ask the USA to look at the fact the notion of a free sugar market was left off the table totally - some how I doubt it will get a look in.

And if you can be bothered check out the increase of wholly produced Over seas advertisements on Commercial Television ( it is a big ask I know) - once even an overseas based prodct generated home grown ads with the attendant jobs - now many are direct imports; Subway is a good example, and several toys ads are another.

You want to talk take over,destruction of cultural values, the erosion of our way of life; get off the Islamic stallion or whatever other xenophobic hobby-horse your on 'cause the real horse has long since bolted.