PROFITEERING! This morning the wife said "how about chicken for dinner tonight?" Okay, down to the local plaza early to pick up milk from Coles or Woolworths and chicken breast. Normally the 3 sellers of chicken breast are Coles, Woolworths and the small business butcher in the centre. Last week the small butcher outside of Woolies had CB at $9.99/kg, on special he has it at $8.99. This morning his price was $14.99/kg. When I asked why the steep increase in price, all I got was "That's the PRICE mate!". I also noticed all his other meat was well up on price, some cuts over 50% increase. A check on both Woolies and Coles showed them to be out of most meat, including chicken breast. The little butcher wants to remember people have long memories.

All is not lost, its Paul's world famous home made 'Fish Cakes' for dinner tonight.

With too much restriction or opposition to something leading to restriction, people may simply defy rules or limits set and will simply do what they consider appropriate. So:

If people can't go to a church this year, because their freedoms are limited, they will meet somewhere else. For many people, Easter is important;

If people are told they can't go to certain public institutions anymore they consider important, they may consider simply setting up their own;

If some can't go to ANZAC day ceremonies, which many Australian's are emotionally and physically attached to, they may group anyway and defy authorities.

Limiting ones freedom is not a positive move. If I was tell people here you can't go to a butcher's shop or the meat section in a supermarket, how many would tolerate that? They wouldn't. I have no concerns for myself being vegetarian. I don't visit butchers shops or meat sections, but I never just think of myself when it comes to freedoms.

Issy, the Catholic Church should introduce "social distancing" , yep...their priest should be made to keep more than 6" away from the backsides of alter boys. Just a thought, but they'll never do it.

If I was tell people here you can't go to a butcher's shop or the meat section in a supermarket,
Nathan J,
That's a new one to me. Where aren't people allowed to go shopping ?

Dear Individual,

«Being a selfish whimpy little grub is not really a role model !»

For today's bible-reading and reflection, I suggest Ecclesiastes 9:4, "even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!"

It is most admirable to sacrifice one's life for a just cause in the love of others: the most prominent examples are Jesus and Gandhi (who did not end up dying, but willingness is what counts).

Not so to sacrifice one's life for a stupid cause, what to say of evil causes even. To blindly follow the decrees of a state is one such cause - which both Jesus and Gandhi defied. The prominent example of the fool who wasted his life for this, is Socrates - who can be likened to the dead lion.

Let me give another example: Johny and his teen-friends were boating on the lake. Johny had an expensive shiny new laptop, so his friends urged him time and again: C'mon, you have no guts, you are not a man if you won't throw this laptop in the lake. Finally Johny conceded and threw his laptop in the water, then said: "Well then, do I have guts?". "Yes", they all replied, "you do have guts, but you have no character!".

Why am I speaking of death? Because the body, including even its brain, is a dead object and of no value without the spirit, which itself is of no value without the conscious free will that guides it. Anyone who does not exercise their conscious free will is, for all practical purposes, dead!

Yes, one always has the option to willingly be part of and cooperate with a state, especially if they consider the options and subsequently deem that state to be a morally good thing. HOWEVER, demanding the same from others, puts you on the side of wrong and evil. If you truly believe that sacrificing your life for the state of Australia is good, then why not try to convince Nathan, both rationally and by personal example, that this would also be the case in his own unique circumstances?

'Issy, the Catholic Church should introduce "social distancing" , yep...their priest should be made to keep more than 6" away from the backsides of alter boys. Just a thought, but they'll never do it.'

Well a Greens member talking about morals. Do they get them from the mardi gras or where?