Sorry, Cossomby, I meant Mr Opinionated.

Cheers,

Joe

JohnBigMac

1. the Polish boomerang is associated with material dated at 30,000 years, the oldest Australian boomerang is 10,000 years (Wyrie Swamp, SA). There were throwing sticks in many cultures, and in other archaeological sites, but I'm not up on the oldest returning boomerang.

2. Human invention and development was predicted on domestication, which allowed sedentary living, the development of urban life and skill specialisation. It was assisted in Asia-Europe by the easy flow of ideas back and forth between agricultural peoples. Once the ancestors of the Aborigines got to Australia (the first substantial water crossing) they were stuck in a dead-end - no plants or animals that could be domesticated, and limited opportunity for exchange of ideas. They weren't dumb, just unlucky.

3. But they did make a go of it for a very long time, and developed subtle (well to our eyes) ways of living here and managing the land, with some plant domestication.

4. When the First Fleet arrived, the British nearly starved. If they had not had some domestic animals, and plant crop seeds, (and the fortuitous arrival of supply ships) they might not have survived. Perhaps that puts Aboriginal survival into perspective.

5. The Aborigines many not have invented many useful things, but they also did not invent: machine guns, hand grenades, the guillotine and other nasty ways of torturing and killing people, religious sects that tried (try!)to annihilate each other, concentration camps, atomic bombs.

6. Have a look at the $50 note. David Unaipon's inventions include an improved hand tool for shearing sheep, a centrifugal motor, a multi-radial wheel and a mechanical propulsion device; he was unable to get financial backing to develop his ideas. He gained a reputation at the time of being ‘Australia's Leonardo’ for his promotion of scientific ideas.

More tomorrow (at the risk of Loudmouth's displeasure for sounding like a know-it-all. Actually I'm a want-to-learn-it-all, comes with the territory. )

One thing for sure John Big Mack is that the aboriginals of today are far more violent towards their own then to outsiders. Murder, rape, incest and dv is at much elevated rates among themselves rathr than the general population. It seems they are just as angry towards each other than they are the whities. It is also strange that I have found that aboriginals who live in communities are far less racist than the townies. Maybe the townies have been listening to the black arm band rot taught by those benefiting the most by remaining victims.

Aboriginal kids are more likely to go to jail than white kids, more likely to end up in jail than complete high school, more likely to live 10 years less than white kids, more likely to contract a serious illness than white kids, more likely to be unemployed, more likely to be violent, more likely to come from a dysfunctional family, more likely to be of a lot of negatives. Great fuel for finger pointers, so easy its all there, the facts, the facts speak for themselves.

Europeans tried a number of initiatives, some intentional some not so, to solve the 'Aboriginal problem' some at the government level, some local. Tried shooting, disease, starvation, tried to isolate them, tried locking them up, tried throwing money at them, even tried to breed them out, all without complete success. They are a resilient mob, maybe that is why their ancestors have been here 40-60,000 years.

The solution lies in the future and despite many good folks efforts, both black and white, the final goal of equality in all aspects of life is still a long way off. But those of good conscience will keep chipping away at the problems.

Hi Paul,

Sorry, what's your point ? People commit offences, they face the consequences. So ??

You declare " .... shooting, disease, starvation, tried to isolate them, tried locking them up, tried throwing money at them, even tried to breed them out, all without complete success."

Evidence ? Nah, just feel the passion.

Noel Pearson spoke yesterday at the National Press Club. I don't think he has twigged yet that the missing ingredient is "EFFORT", as my son used to say when he listened to my wife and me going on about what could work, what sorts of projects could get off the ground: he'd shrug and day, "Yes, just add the miracle ingredient: Effort." And he was right.

There is still the assumption that able-bodied people should just sit there and get ever-more done for them. No. They don't have that right. No, sorry, they don't. Nope.

Nobody points out that able-bodied people, Black or white, should try to find work. Welfare is for people who, for a host of reasons, can't work. It's not a ICU life-support system for able-bodied people. Have people no shame ?

Of course, the tide has gone out on work opportunities near remote settlements in mining etc. So people can now duck the obligation to work. And if grown people can do that, then children can duck the obligation to get an education. Education leads to work. No work means no need for education. Ergo, lifelong welfare. Sweet.

That's not what I signed up for.

Joe

Hi Joe, where is your evidence to support the claim Nobody points out that able-bodied people, Black or white, should try to find work. Welfare is for people who, for a host of reasons, can't work. It's not a ICU life-support system for able-bodied people. Have people no shame?"
I'm not saying your wrong, you may well be right about able-bodied people wroughting the system. I totally agree with your qualification "welfare is for people who, for a host of reasons, can't work." But none of this comment offers a real and lasting solution.
To answer your question; yes there are people with no shame.
My point was, I do not believe the simple finger pointing is the answer, and there are plenty of them finger pointers around, some Aboriginal behavior gives such people plenty of ammunition. 228 years after the first white settlement we sill have much to do, there is no short term fix to close the gap between white and black. But progress is being made.